Dhanin Chearavanont
Thai businessman and senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand.
Dhanin Chearavanont (born 19 April 1939) is a Thai entrepreneur and business figure. He serves as senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand, the largest privately held company in Thailand. Dhanin leads the Chearavanont family, which Forbes Asia ranked as the fourth-wealthiest family in Asia in 2017, with a net worth of US$36.6 billion. His personal net worth was estimated at US$17.2 billion in January 2021. By July 2021, Forbes reported that Dhanin and his brothers were worth US$12.8 billion, and in July 2022, Forbes named the Chearavanont Brothers the richest individuals in Thailand.
Dhanin was born in 1939 as the fourth and youngest son of Chia Ek Chor. He attended primary school at Chinese Sarasit Wittaya school in Ban Pong District, Ratchaburi province, graduating in 1949. In 1952, he went to China to study at Shantou No.1 High School, then pursued higher education at the Education University of Hong Kong in 1956, which included training from the National Defence College of Thailand.
In business, Dhanin developed close ties with the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party, enabling his company CP to become the largest foreign lessee of land in China, holding 200,000 hectares of land in 2012.
For philanthropy, in 2020 he donated US$21.8 million to combat the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand.
Dhanin is a Buddhist.
- born
- 19 April 1939
- field
- Business
- nationality
- Thai
- known_for
- Senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand, Thailand's largest private company
- net_worth_2021
- $17.2 billion
- net_worth_2022
- Ranked richest in Thailand by Forbes
Verified Timeline
Quick Facts
- Honorific Suffix
- MPCh MVM PBh ThCh
- Native Name Lang
- th
- Office
- Member of the Senate of Thailand
- Term Start
- 22 March 1992
- Term End
- 21 March 1996
- Birth Name
- Kokmin Saechia
- Birth Date
- df=yes · 1939 · 04 · 19
- Birth Place
- Bangkok, Siam
- Occupation
- Senior chairman, Charoen Pokphand
- Children
- 5, including Suphachai
- Spouse
- Tewee Wattanalikit (1962–2023)
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Dhanin Chearavanont was born in 1939 as the fourth and youngest son of Chia Ek Chor. He attended primary school at the Chinese Sarasit Wittaya school in Ban Pong District, Ratchaburi province, until graduating in 1949. In 1952, he travelled to China to study at Shantou No.1 High School, before travelling to the Education University of Hong Kong where he pursued higher education in 1956 including training from the National Defence College of Thailand. Chearavanont built a close relationship with leadership of Chinese Communist Party, which allowed his business CP to be the largest foreign lessee of land in China, amounting to 200,00 hectares of land in 2012. In 2020, Dhanin donated US$21.8 million to fight the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand. He is a follower of Buddhism.
Reader's Guide
Dhanin Chearavanont's significance comes from his role as senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand, Thailand's largest private company, and as head of the Chearavanont family. His business strategy included building a close relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, which allowed CP to become the largest foreign lessee of land in China, with 200,00 hectares by 2012. In 2020, he donated US$21.8 million to fight COVID-19 in Thailand. His personal wealth was estimated at $17.2 billion in January 2021, and by July 2021 Forbes stated Dhanin and his brothers were worth US$12.8 billion. In July 2022, Forbes ranked the Chearavanont Brothers as the richest in Thailand. He is a follower of Buddhism.
Did You Know?
- Dhanin Chearavanont was born in 1939 as the fourth and youngest son of Chia Ek Chor.
- He attended primary school at the Chinese Sarasit Wittaya school in Ban Pong District, Ratchaburi province, until graduating in 1949.
- In 1952, he travelled to China to study at Shantou No.1 High School.
- He donated US$21.8 million in 2020 to fight the spread of COVID-19 in Thailand.
- Forbes ranked the Chearavanont Brothers as the richest in Thailand in July 2022.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Dhanin Chearavanont?
Dhanin Chearavanont is a Thai businessman born on 19 April 1939 who serves as the senior chairman of Charoen Pokphand, the largest privately held corporation in Thailand. He also leads the Chearavanont family, one of the wealthiest dynasties in the region.
What is Dhanin Chearavanont's primary role in business?
He holds the position of senior chairman at Charoen Pokphand, a diversified conglomerate spanning agriculture, retail, telecommunications, and manufacturing across Southeast Asia. In that capacity, he oversees the strategic direction of Thailand's biggest private enterprise.
How wealthy is Dhanin Chearavanont?
Forbes listed him as Thailand's richest individual in 2022, and his personal net worth was estimated at roughly $17.2 billion in 2021. The broader Chearavanont family was ranked by Forbes Asia in 2017 as the fourth-wealthiest family in Asia with a combined fortune of $36.6 billion.
Why is Dhanin Chearavanont considered important in the business world?
As the driving figure behind Charoen Pokphand, he has shaped Thailand's economic landscape through a conglomerate that operates in dozens of countries and touches everything from food production to mobile networks. His leadership has made the Chearavanont name synonymous with industrial and commercial power in Southeast Asia.
What is the Chearavanont family's standing in Asia?
In 2017, Forbes Asia ranked the Chearavanonts as the fourth-wealthiest family on the continent, with a collective net worth of roughly $36.6 billion. Dhanin, as the family head, anchors that wealth through his stewardship of Charoen Pokphand and its vast portfolio of subsidiaries.
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