Dhanin Chearavanont. Picture courtesy of AFP | via vnexpress

 

Thailand’s influential Chearavanont family, behind the giant Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, has been spotlighted as Southeast Asia’s sole representative in Bloomberg’s 2025 list of the world’s 25 richest families. They boast a staggering wealth of $53.3 billion (approximately 1.92 trillion Thai Baht), amid an exclusive list typically dominated by the U.S., the Middle East, and Europe.

 

The CP Group, one of Thailand’s largest conglomerates, is well-known in the global market as a leading producer of animal feed and livestock. Its operations extend across eight business lines, including e-commerce, finance, and telecommunications, with a footprint in 23 countries. Founded in the 1920s by Chia Ek Chor and his brother, the company initially focused on selling seeds to local farmers, eventually rebranding in 1946 to reflect its consumer-centric philosophy.

 

Dhanin Chearavanont, the youngest of the founder’s sons, significantly expanded the business after taking over in 1970. Although he stepped down as CEO in 2017, he remains the senior chairman. His sons, Soopakij and Suphachai, currently lead the company, carrying on his legacy. Adding to the generational saga, Dhanin’s grandsons, Korawad and Tanit Chearavanont, are also making entrepreneurial strides, with Korawad venturing into AI and Tanit managing international expansion.

 

CP's strategic focus has shifted towards digital growth and regional expansion. This effort includes a notable merger of its telecommunications unit, True, with Total Access Communications, now making it Thailand’s dominant mobile network. Additionally, CP's fintech division, Ascend Money, has laid the groundwork for a virtual bank, further enhancing its TrueMoney digital platform, which serves over 50 million customers in Southeast Asia.

 

In the future, CP wants to work with the Maharlika Investment Corporation of the Philippines to set up a $1 billion private equity fund that will invest in areas like agriculture, digital innovation, and renewable energy. This move aligns with CP's strategy to bolster its influence and capabilities in these emerging markets, reported Vietnam Express.

 

Key Takeaways

• The Chearavanont family ranks as Southeast Asia’s wealthiest, with $53.3 billion.
• CP Group’s successes span agriculture, telecommunications, and digital innovations.
• Future growth includes a $1 billion fund with a focus on agriculture and tech.

 

  Adapted by ASEAN Now from Vietnam Express 2025-12-22

 

 

 

And how, exactly, are these fatcats giving back? Don't buy CP myself.

26 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

And how, exactly, are these fatcats giving back? Don't buy CP myself.

Almost impossible to not support CP in TH ... they wholly or in part:

 

... 7-11

... Makro

... Lotus's

... True

... DTAC

... Vodphoone

... NT (TOT)

... CP Foods, controls: animal livestock, breeding, feed, animal food products, commercial farming, processing & manufacturing of cooked foods, aquaculture / farms, fish & hatcheries, fish & farming of for commercial purposes

 

If you eat in TH, you support CP 

source: wiki

 

 

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

Almost impossible to not support CP in TH ... they wholly or in part:

 

... 7-11

... Makro

... True

... DTAC

... Vodphoone

... NT (TOT)

... CP Foods, controls: animal livestock, breeding, feed, animal food products, commercial farming, processing & manufacturing of cooked foods, aquaculture / farms, fish & hatcheries, fish & farming of for commercial purposes

 

If you eat in TH, you support CP 

source: wiki

 

 

 

Don't forget they also own Lotus's

 

 

There is also a construction arm - trying to build a train track between a few airports.

 

Do not forget the hotels.

 

And of course part of MG (Thailand).

 

Are there any industries in Thailand that CP does not have a role in?

 

And do not forget CP's massive overseas operations, especially in China.

13 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Almost impossible to not support CP in TH ... they wholly or in part:

 

... 7-11

... Makro

... Lotus's

... True

... DTAC

... Vodphoone

... NT (TOT)

... CP Foods, controls: animal livestock, breeding, feed, animal food products, commercial farming, processing & manufacturing of cooked foods, aquaculture / farms, fish & hatcheries, fish & farming of for commercial purposes

 

If you eat in TH, you support CP 

source: wiki

 

 

 

Thx for posting this. 

 

It happens that

I avoid the junk food of 7/11

I don't like Makro, and it's too far, anyway (hundreds of meters)

I  don't shop at Lotus  (BigC is closer and cheaper)

I canceled True mobile 2 years ago and True online last year

My favorite provider DTAC will disappear soon, anyway

Vodphoone ??? Never heard of that

I plan to cancel my TOT number anyway, because I don't use it anymore

 

So, all I need to do now is to stop eating.  I am too fat anyway. 

 

World's top 20 next year when thai baht hits 29usd

Seemsc moving to a desert island, naked  and eating

fish is the only option left ?

5 hours ago, Celsius said:

World's top 20 next year when thai baht hits 29usd

 

No mirrors in Canada ... easy to see why you returned for govt assistance to live there.

 

 

4 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

 

No mirrors in Canada ... easy to see why you returned for govt assistance to live there.

 

 

 

Bonus: I also get free healthcare. Must burn you up inside that Der Trumpf doesn't do the same hence your exile to Thailand!

The beauty of enjoying a monopolistic position over the everyday essentials in Thailand. A licence to print money.

35 minutes ago, Celsius said:

 

Bonus: I also get free healthcare. Must burn you up inside that Der Trumpf doesn't do the same hence your exile to Thailand!

 

I have plenty of money to pay my way, and way less than healthcare insurance would have cost me in the USA, or even in TH over the past 25 yrs.   Eat & live a healthy lifestyle, and you don't need healthcare.  Genes help a wee bit.  

 

I can't imagine paying 25 or 40% of my income to taxes, to pay for healthcare I never use & lay abouts that are too lazy to produce.   I got hit with a couple big fed tax bills, which probably exceeded your yearly income.  So no, I'd hate to have those all the time, as wasted funds.

 

I prefer not to work for other people, when I can simply retire early and enjoy the fruits of my labor.

 

If I would have gave up 40% of my income every year, I don't think I would have retired at 45.

6 hours ago, Lorry said:

 

Thx for posting this. 

 

It happens that

I avoid the junk food of 7/11

I don't like Makro, and it's too far, anyway (hundreds of meters)

I  don't shop at Lotus  (BigC is closer and cheaper)

I canceled True mobile 2 years ago and True online last year

My favorite provider DTAC will disappear soon, anyway

Vodphoone ??? Never heard of that

I plan to cancel my TOT number anyway, because I don't use it anymore

 

So, all I need to do now is to stop eating.  I am too fat anyway. 

 

Vodafone - it's an e-sim provider

23 hours ago, webfact said:

CP Group’s successes span agriculture, telecommunications, and digital innovations.

 

It also spans establishment and sponsorship of governments as a strategy to achieving this:

 

23 hours ago, webfact said:

The Chearavanont family ranks as Southeast Asia’s wealthiest, with $53.3 billion.

 

but that article doesn't mention that...

20 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Vodphoone

... NT (TOT)

 

Never heard about Vodphoone, and neither has Google.

In case it was a spelling mistake, Vodaphone isn't owned by CP.

NT (TOT), is a government owned company.

20 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

And how, exactly, are these fatcats giving back? Don't buy CP myself.

Employment to thousands... 

23 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

Never heard about Vodphoone, and neither has Google.

In case it was a spelling mistake, Vodaphone isn't owned by CP.

NT (TOT), is a government owned company.

wiki disagrees with you.   and I stated wholly or 'part', meaning may hold % of ownership and or stock of.

 

Granted, wiki isn't always accurate.   Didn't dig too deep, as don't care, but in TH, near impossible not to support CP.  Seem to have their fingers in the food supply, and that's certainly a good thing, and why I rarely shop at wet/fresh market, as way too risky.

5 minutes ago, KhunLA said:

wiki disagrees with you.   and I stated wholly or 'part', meaning may hold % of ownership and or stock of.

 

Granted, wiki isn't always accurate.   Didn't dig too deep, as don't care, but in TH, near impossible not to support CP.  Seem to have their fingers in the food supply, and that's certainly a good thing, and why I rarely shop at wet/fresh market, as way too risky.

 

You have a link to that wiki? Because maybe you have a different wiki.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vodafone

 

Vodphoone right, and TOT owned by CP?

21 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Almost impossible to not support CP in TH ... they wholly or in part:

 

... 7-11

... Makro

... Lotus's

... True

... DTAC

... Vodphoone

... NT (TOT)

... CP Foods, controls: animal livestock, breeding, feed, animal food products, commercial farming, processing & manufacturing of cooked foods, aquaculture / farms, fish & hatcheries, fish & farming of for commercial purposes

 

If you eat in TH, you support CP 

source: wiki

 

 

 Not here in Cambodia!

 CP companies with their products and produce are currently banned or boycotted - no support from across the border!

16 minutes ago, CallumWK said:

 

You have a link to that wiki?

 

Vodphoone right, and TOT owned by CP?

 

reading comprehension .... 'owned', did you not just read 'wholly or in part', which could be even, CP being vested in any company or trust the owns 'wholly or in part' something.  Which they still would benefit from, indirectly.   Wording is important.

 

A link .... Seriously, I have better things to do.  As I'm sure you may also, or not, that's a sad thought  

 

Have a nice day

Just now, KhunLA said:

reading comprehension .... 'owned', did you not just read 'wholly or in part',

 

No reading incomprehension, just shows us that link that CP is invested in Vodaphone or NT.

 

My take is that you are full of it, as always

1 hour ago, hotchilli said:

Employment to thousands... 

at rockbottom wages, too low to live on independently.

7 minutes ago, unblocktheplanet said:

at rockbottom wages, too low to live on independently.

Are they, please tell all.....🤫

 

The bloke provides employment for many thousands which otherwise would have sod-all..........🤗

2 hours ago, transam said:

Are they, please tell all.....🤫

 

The bloke provides employment for many thousands which otherwise would have sod-all..........🤗

He "provides employment" lol.

What a lovely way of saying "he exploits thousands"

Sure, he got so rich by "providing" for the poor.

6 minutes ago, Lorry said:

He "provides employment" lol.

What a lovely way of saying "he exploits thousands"

Sure, he got so rich by "providing" for the poor.

Tell us how he exploits if folk go to his businesses for a job........?........🤫

Tell us what he pays in his various business ventures...........?...........🤗

Are these people born Thais ? Or from where originally ?

4 hours ago, unblocktheplanet said:

at rockbottom wages, too low to live on independently.

Better than sleeping on the streets, or in a strangers bed every night

16 hours ago, Lorry said:

 

Thx for posting this. 

 

It happens that

I avoid the junk food of 7/11

I don't like Makro, and it's too far, anyway (hundreds of meters)

I  don't shop at Lotus  (BigC is closer and cheaper)

I canceled True mobile 2 years ago and True online last year

My favorite provider DTAC will disappear soon, anyway

Vodphoone ??? Never heard of that

I plan to cancel my TOT number anyway, because I don't use it anymore

 

So, all I need to do now is to stop eating.  I am too fat anyway. 

 

Maybe you could grow your own food.

22 hours ago, geisha said:

Are these people born Thais ? Or from where originally ?

And that matters how???

22 hours ago, transam said:

Tell us how he exploits if folk go to his businesses for a job........?........🤫

Tell us what he pays in his various business ventures...........?...........🤗

Oh, well, no reply...............