Anant is richest shareholder again with stocks of Bt13 bn
Land and Houses Plc president Anant Asavabhokin has been named the country's richest stockholder for the fourth time in 12 years.
Anant's shareholdings are worth Bt13.13 billion this year - up about 12 per cent from last year, according to Money & Banking magazine. Money & Banking has ranked the 500 richest stockholders in Thailand for a decade, in conjunction with lecturers at Chulalong-korn University's Faculty of Commerce and Accountancy. In 1994, when the magazine released its first ranking, Anant topped the list with Bt21.6 billion worth of stock. His name has been high in the rankings ever since, and he regained the top position in 2002 with Bt9.85 billion. In 2003, he was also ranked the richest stockholder with Bt16.37 billion worth of shares. The second-richest stockholder was a new face - Thongma Vijitpongpun - who was reported to have Bt8.84 billion of shares in Preuksa Real Estate Plc. Registered on the stock market last December, Preuksa builds and manages many housing estates. The third-richest stockholder was Prayuth Mahakijsiri whose stock in Thai Film Industry Plc, Thainox Stainless Plc, Sahamit Machinery Plc and Thai OPP Plc was estimated at Bt5.16 billion. Last year, Prayuth was ranked 10th. Construction chief Premchai Karnasuta was listed in fourth place, with Bt4.72 billion worth of stock in Italian-Thai Development and Oriental Hotel (Thailand) Plc. He inched up from fifth last year. Another new face, Vicha Poolvaraluck, was ranked fifth-richest stockholder in the country this year with his shares in Major Cineplex Group worth some Bt4.34 billion. The Major Cineplex Group operates cinemas across the country. Money & Banking magazine also ranked the country's richest families in the stock market. This year, the Maleenonts topped the list with combined shareholdings in BEC World Plc worth Bt19.4 billion. The second-richest family was the Chirathivats, which dominates the Central Group. They have a combined share value of Bt15.99 billion. The Asavabhokins were third, with shares worth a total Bt15.87 billion. Fourth place was held by the Vijitpongpuns, who hold stock worth Bt10.51 billion. The fifth-richest family on the stock market was the Mahakijsiris, who had up to Bt8.19 billion in shares. This year, the Shinawatra family were ranked at 39th place after family members and relatives sold their shares in Shin Corporation to Singapore's Temasek in January. Presently, the former PM's family hold "only" Bt1.7 billion worth of shares, down from Bt3.32 billion last year.
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