Red Bull co-owner Chalerm Yoovidhya is the richest person in Thailand this year with a net worth of US$44.5 billion (1.4 trillion baht), according to Forbes magazine.
The wealth of the Yoovidhya family increased by $8.5 billion (24%) from last year, when they also topped the list. The increase -- the largest of any entrant -- was fuelled by $12.9 billion in revenue last year on the sales of almost 13 billion cans of Red Bull worldwide.
The second-ranked Chearavanont brothers saw their net worth increase by 23% to $35.7 billion. They were followed by energy and telecoms tycoon Sarath Ratanavadi, who climbed to third place from fifth, with a net worth of $12 billion, up 30% from the year before.
A huge boost in the fortunes of the top three entrants on the list of Thailand's 50 richest families propelled a rise of more than 11% in combined wealth to $170.5 billion, Forbes said.
Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra is in 11th position with $2.1 billion.