BGH president still nation's richest in terms of stockholdings

According to the December issue of the magazine, Prasert owned listed securities worth more than Bt57.909 billion as of September 30, up 58.24 per cent from last year. He owns 20.19 per cent of BGH, which as of September was worth more than Bt57.866 billion. His 0.79-per-cent shareholding in Nonthavej Hospital was worth Bt42.77 million.

The magazine has run the ranking for 21 years. Its calculation of stock value for the ranking is based on the standings as of September 30 each year.

Prasert’s wealth has been growing since 2004 when he was ranked the 26th-richest stock investor with stock valued at Bt1.563 billion before becoming the richest investor for the first time last year at Bt36.596 billion. He also owns 18.24 per cent of Bangkok Airways, which debuted on the Stock Exchange of Thailand in November, after the Money & Banking analysis was compiled.

Trailing Prasert is Thongma Vijitpongpun, chief executive officer of Pruksa Real Estate (PS), who moved up from the fifth-place ranking last year. He owns 54.59 per cent of the real-estate 

firm worth more than Bt41.579 billion. The PS share price rose to Bt34.25 on September 30, up from Bt19.50 last year. Thongma is a previous three-year champion (2010-2012).

The third-richest is BTS Group Holdings chairman and CEO Keeree Kanjanapas, who was ranked No 2 last year. His total listed securities are worth around Bt39.2 billion. Most of his wealth is in his holding of 32.5 per cent of BTS worth more than Bt38.811 billion.

Somphote Ahunai, chairman of the executive committee of the renewable-energy business Energy Absolute (EA), becomes the fourth richest stock investor with total share value of more than Bt36.565 billion, up from Bt26.429 billion last year when he ranked 10th. EA is listed in the Market for Alternative Investment. Its shares closed at Bt24.20 on September 30 in comparison with the initial-public-offering price of Bt5.50 per share and the closing of Bt6.70 as of September 2013.

Land & Houses chairman and president Anant Asvabhokin becomes the fifth-wealthiest stock investor, moving down from fourth last year, and with total value of listed securities of more than Bt24.788 billion. 

Coming in sixth is avid investor Niti Osathanugrah, who moved up from seventh place last year. He has invested in shares in around 14 companies and his stock portfolio is worth more than Bt24.020 billion.  

Wichai Thongtang, BGH’s second-largest shareholder, moved down to seventh place this year with total value of Bt20.294 billion. Wichai is a value investor, focusing on stocks prone to long-term growth. 

Hathai Siriviriyakul, the 42.82-per-cent shareholder of Kaset Thai International Sugar Corp, one of leading sugar producers in Thailand, with total share value of Bt18.768 billion, was eighth.

Pete Bodharamik, CEO of telecom firm Jasmine International, dipped from third place last year to ninth this year with total stock value of Bt16.560 billion. 

William Ellwood Heinecke, founder of Minor Group, dipped to 10th from the eighth with value of listed securities of more than Bt13.061 billion, up 16.61 per cent from last year.

In terms of stockholding by family, the Chirathivat family is champion for the second consecutive year. The 32 family members own combined listed securities worth more than Bt69.391 billion, up 3.90 per cent from last year. Coming in second place is the Prasarttong-Osoth family at more than Bt65.314 billion, up 55.26 per cent.

The survey is based on the shareholdings of 6,473 individuals who owned more than 0.5 per cent of listed companies’ securities as of September 30. Their combined wealth was Bt1.83 trillion, up by Bt571.73 billion or 45.39 per cent from last year.