Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, founder of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc (BGH) and Bangkok Airways Plc (BA), remains the richest businessman on the Thai stock market for the third consecutive year, with publicly listed shares worth 62 billion baht, up 7.7% from the previous year.
The annual ranking, conducted by Money & Banking magazine and Chulalongkorn University's economics faculty, is based on the shareholdings of 6,712 individuals who owned more than 0.5% of listed companies' securities as of Sept 30. Their combined wealth was 1.80 trillion baht, down by 29.7 billion or 1.64% from last year.
Mr Prasert is the largest shareholder of BGH, controlling 19.11%, valued at 54.7 billion baht. His wealth grew after Bangkok Airways (BA) listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) in November 2014. He owns 18.24% of shares in BA worth 7.54 billion baht.
Prasert: Share value grew 7.7%
Trailing Mr Prasert is Thongma Vijitpongpun, chief executive of Pruksa Real Estate (PS), who maintains second place although his holdings slipped by 15.15% from the year before to 35.2 billion baht, following the SET's nosedive.
Sompote Ahunai, executive committee chairman of renewable energy company Energy Absolute (EA), moved up from fourth to third with shares valued at over 32 billion baht, mainly from his 40.49% of shares of EA.
Keeree Kanjanapas, chairman of BTS Group Holdings, slid to fourth this year after his holdings dropped by 17.83% to 32.2 billion baht. He owns 27.52% of BTS worth 31.99 billion, 0.51% of developer Grand Canal Land Plc (GRAND) worth 87.6 million, and 0.54% of media company VGI Global Media Plc (VGI) worth 130.16 million.
Land and Houses Plc chairman and chief executive Anant Asavabhokhin remained fifth although his holdings dropped by 7.1% to 23.03 billion baht.
There were two new faces in the top 10: Yupin Thirakomen, spouse of Rit Thirakomen, founder of the MK restaurant chain, and Paramaporn, daughter of Mr Prasert. Ms Yupin ranks sixth with stock valued at 21 billion baht, up by 72.76% from last year, while Ms Paramaporn took 10th with 13.85 billion.
The debut of BA on the SET made the Prasarttong-Osoth family the richest for stockholding by family, surpassing the Chirathivat family, which slipped to second. The six Prasarttong-Osoth family members own combined listed securities worth over 88 billion baht, up by 22.77 billion or 34% from last year.
The 44-member Chirathivat family dropped 15.6% to 58.54 billion.
