Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin had a private meeting over dinner with Thailand’s top business executives from diverse private sector fields on Monday night.
The special informal event was organised and hosted by Dr. Vichit Suraphongchai, chairman of SCB X.
Other participants included Arthid Nanthawithaya, CEO of Siam Commercial Bank, Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, CEO of King Power duty-free, Sanan Angubolkul, chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce and CEO of Srithai Superware Group, Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO of Thai Beverage, Suphachai Chearavanont, executive vice chairman of CP Group, Plew Trivisvavet, CEO and chairman of the Ch. Karnchang construction giant, Jareeporn Jarukornsakul, chair and CEO of WHA Group, specialising in logistics, power plants and industrial estates.
A group photo of those attending the dinner was posted on social media by the prime minister himself.
It is reported that the combined net worth of the executives at this meeting is over three trillion baht.
The Siam Commercial Bank has been a business partner of the Sansiri real estate company, of which Srettha is a former CEO before he quit to enter politics, with the bank being the key financial backer of Sansiri’s condominium projects.
It is also reported that those at the meeting discussed the path of national development under the new administration and the role of the private sector therein. They also discussed the potential serious drought anticipated, due to the prolonged El Niño, and how the CP Group, Thailand’s largest agro industry enterprise, can play a role in easing the impacts.
The prime minister told the media on Wednesday, however, that the business leaders who met him on Monday night did not seek any privileges from him, adding that he is the prime minister of all Thais, not just of business people.
