His daughter may be in the midst of a fight for her political life but Thai powerbroker Thaksin Shinawatra still offers plenty of financial clout, ranking 11th on the latest Forbes list of Thailand’s 50 Richest.
According to the Forbes analysis, Thaksin – who returned to his home country in 2023 after 15 years living in exile abroad – boasts a fortune of US$2.1 billion, largely unchanged over the last two years. The now 75-year-old served as Prime Minister from 2001 to 2006 but made his wealth via his business interests, namely mobile phone operator AIS and telecommunications conglomerate Shin Corporation.
After returning from exile two years ago, he spent six months in hospital detention before being granted special parole from a jail term linked to the military coup that overthrew his government almost two decades earlier.
Thaksin is said to have quickly reestablished a powerbase and played a key role in daughter Paetongtarn being elected Prime Minister as part of an uneasy coalition formed following the 2023 election.
Paetongtarn, who has pushed hard for the legalization of casino gaming via her Pheu Thai Party’s Entertainment Complex Bill, was earlier this week suspended by the Constitutional Court pending an investigation into her leaked phone call with former Cambodian leader Hun Sen in relation to an ongoing border dispute between the two nations. In the call, Paetongtarn was heard criticizing the Thai army’s actions in a 28 May conflict that left a Cambodian soldier dead.
Thaksin himself fronted a Bangkok court this week on accusations that during a 2015 interview he breached Thailand’s strict lese majeste laws aimed at shielding the king from criticism.
In releasing its 2025 list of Thailand’s 50 Richest, Forbes noted that the nation’s economy is “growing at a slower-than-expected pace amid trade tensions and mounting political uncertainty.”
Despite this, a huge boost in the fortunes of the top three on the list propelled a more than 11% rise in combined wealth to US$170.5 billion.
The Red Bull family, led by Chalerm Yoovidhya, retained top spot for the second year running with a fortune of US$44.5 billion.
