Twenty-six Thais are among a record 2,781 billionaires worldwide, according to an annual survey by Forbes magazine.
The global total of US dollar billionaires, Forbes noted, is 141 more than last year and 26 more than the previous record set in 2021.
The Thai contingent is down by two from last year, but the top names on the list are familiar ones, headed by Dhanin Chearavanont, the patriarch of the agribusiness, retail and telecoms conglomerate Charoen Pokphand Group. With a net worth estimated at $12.5 billion, he ranks 159th on the global table.
Mr Dhanin is one of five members of his extended clan on the list — others spell their English surnames in different ways.
In second place is the alcohol and real estate tycoon Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi at $11.3 billion (177th globally), followed by energy mogul Sarath Ratanavadi (200th) with $10.7 billion in estimated assets.
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, with a net worth of $2.1 billion, is in 1,545th place worldwide.
In the introduction to its annual survey, Forbes noted that it has been a banner year for many the planet’s billionaires, whose fortunes continue to swell as global stock markets shrug off war, political unrest and lingering inflation.
The total wealth of those on the list was $14.2 trillion, up by $2 trillion from 2023 and $1.1 trillion above the previous record set in 2021. Two-thirds of the members are worth more than a year ago; only one-quarter are poorer.
Bernard Arnault, head of the luxury goods giant LVMH, tops the global table with a net worth estimated at $233 billion. He’s followed by Tesla founder Elon Musk ($196 billion) and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos ($194 billion).
To the surprise of few, the American pop megastar Taylor Swift ($1.1 billion) has joined the club, making her one of 14 celebrities with a net worth in the 10 figures.
All calculations were based on stock prices and exchange rates as of March 8 this year, Forbes said. Other holdings such as real estate, art and other assets are based on the best informed estimates of the markets in question. Forbes also maintains a searchable list of net worth that is updated in real-time.