Red Bull family tops wealth rankings with $44.5 billion

Thailand's economy faced challenges in 2025, marked by slower growth due to trade tensions and heightened political uncertainty. The nation's richest individuals experienced a significant change in their fortunes, highlighted by the Red Bull family's remarkable increase in wealth. Their wealth soared to a record $44.5 billion, securing their top position in the Thailand 50 Richest list for the second consecutive year. This jump was spurred by the energy drinks giant’s annual revenue, which reached €11.2 billion ($12.9 billion) in 2024, fueled by worldwide sales nearing 13 billion cans. Following them was the Charoen Pokphand group's Chearavanont brothers, whose net worth rose by 23% to $35.7 billion, sustaining their status as the second richest family in Thailand, aided by the fintech unit Ascend Money receiving approval to launch a virtual bank. The wealth of energy-and-telecoms tycoon Sarath Ratanavadi also saw significant growth as he rose to third place, capitalizing on the merger between Gulf Energy Development and Intouch Holdings earlier in the year, despite the retail sector's struggles. While some fortunes were on the rise, a total of 19 individuals faced declines, with the Chirathivat family's wealth diminishing by 13% to $8.6 billion. Their investment decisions, including a new partnership formed with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund acquiring a significant stake in the British retailer Selfridges, have not shielded them from financial downturns noticeable in the broader economy. Additionally, the absence of renewable energy mogul Somphote Ahunai suggested challenges within the sector, as his company Energy Absolute experienced financial difficulties. Demonstrating the volatility of wealth within Thailand, the combined wealth of the top individuals surged more than 11% to over $170 billion, with the increase largely reliant on the significant gains made by the top three. This situation reflects the nuances of Thailand's wealthy elite navigating a fluctuating economy, marked by external uncertainties while still achieving considerable economic successes, a stark reminder of the disparities in wealth distribution within the country.