Prasert richest man on SET

Prasert richest man on SET

Prasert Prasarttong-osoth has been ranked the wealthiest man on the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) for the second consecutive year, with publicly listed shares worth 57.91 billion baht, up 58.24% from the previous year.

Dr Prasert (left), with 58 billion baht, is the richest man on the SET, followed by Thongma Vijitpongpun of Pruksa Real Estate (top right) and Keeree Kanjanapas of BTS Group. (Bangkok Post file photos)

The annual ranking, conducted by the Money & Banking magazine and Chulalongkorn University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy, used the share valuation on Sept 30. It took into account only public information of shareholders and did not include holdings by nominees or family members. 

As the largest shareholder of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services Plc (BGH), the operator of Bangkok, Samitivej, BNH and Phyathai hospitals, Dr Prasert had a 20.19% stake worth 57.87 billion baht. He also owned a 0.79% stake in Nonthavej Hospital Plc (NTV) worth 42.77 million baht.

His holdings calculated in the ranking did not include that in Bangkok Airways Plc (BA), which debuted on the SET after the ranking was compiled. Dr Prasert held 18.24% in BA as of Oct 27. Based on Thursday's closing price, his stake in the carrier was worth 8.28 billion baht.

Dr Prasert first joined the list in 2004, when he was ranked 26th, with shares worth 1.56 billion baht.

Trailing him in the 2014 ranking was Thongma Vijitpongpun, chairman of executive committee and CEO of Pruksa Real Estate Plc (PS), who fell to the fifth in the previous year.

Mr Thongma's 54.59% stake in PS was worth 41.58 billion baht, up 63.36% from 2013. The gain was largely due to higher valuation of the stock, which surged 75.64% year-on-year to 34.25 baht a share.

Keeree Kanjanapas, chairman of the skytrain operator BTS Group, slid a notch to the third this year, even though his holdings rose by 14.55% to 39.20 billion baht.

He owned 32.58% of BTS worth 38.81 billion baht, 0.6% in developer Sansiri Plc (SIRI) worth 129.92 million baht and 0.54% of media company VGI Global Media Plc (VGI) worth 258.46 million baht.

Somphote Ahunai, a former managing director of Yuanta Securities (Thailand) Co Ltd who turned to energy businesses under Energy Absolute Plc (EA), jumped from the 10th last year to the fourth this year. He had 36.56 billion baht worth of shares, up a whopping 260.76% from 2013. His holdings were in EA (40.47% worth 36.53 billion baht) and Eternal Energy Plc (0.94% worth 31.72 million baht).

Anant Asavabhokhin, chairman and CEO of Land and Houses Plc, came at fifth from fourth in the previous year, with 24.789 billion baht, down 3.70% from last year.

Niti Osatanukroh, a stock investor, came at sixth, with 24.02 billion, up 28.98% from the previous year.

Wichai Thongtang, an investor, slipped a notch to the seventh this year. His holdings in several companies including BGH were worth 20.29 billion baht, up 0.80% from 2013. He was followed by Hathai Siriviriyakul, with her 42.82% stake in the sugar producer Kaset Thai International Sugar Corporation Plc (KTIS) worth 18.68 billion baht, up 0.82% year-on-year.

With his 25.84% stake in the telecom and internet service provider Jasmine International, Pete Bodharamik came ninth, with 16.56 billion baht, down 37.46%. The 10th went to William Heinecke, chairman of the hospitality and food company Minor International Plc (MINT), down from the eighth last year, with 13.06 billion baht, up 16.61% from the previous year.


Do you like the content of this article?
COMMENT