Chin Sophonpanich
Chin Sophonpanich | |
|---|---|
| Born | Template:Birth date Wat Sai, Thonburi Province (now Chom Thong District, Bangkok), Thailand |
| Died | January 4, 1988 (aged 77) Bangkok, Thailand |
| Occupation | Businessman |
| Known for | Founder of Bangkok Bank and Bangkok Insurance |
Chin Sophonpanich (; ; 10 November 1910 – 4 January 1988) was a prominent Thai businessman recognized for establishing both Bangkok Bank and Bangkok Insurance.
Biography
Chin was born in Wat Sai, Thonburi Province (present-day Chom Thong District, Bangkok) into a family of Thai Chinese descent. His father, originally from Chaoyang, Shantou, Guangdong, China, was a Chinese immigrant employed at a sawmill, while his mother was native to the area. At the age of five, Chin was sent to China for his education and returned to Thailand at seventeen, where he initially worked in manual labor.
In 1944, Chin launched Bangkok Bank, beginning operations with just two shophouses. The bank experienced significant growth, expanding its presence across the region, including an entry into Hong Kong. Following a political dispute with Thai dictator Sarit Thanarat, Chin moved to Hong Kong in 1957. By 1972, Bangkok Bank had successfully secured a listing on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.
Control of Bangkok Bank stayed within the family lineage: Chatri Sophonpanich held the presidency from 1980 until 1992, after which his son Chartsiri Sophonpanich assumed leadership from 1994 onward. Rabin (Robin) Sophonpanich relocated with his family to Hong Kong. Chin had two spouses; with Lau Kwei-ying, he fathered Rabin and Chatri, and with Boonsri he had seven children, including Chote and Khunying Chodchoi Sophonpanich. Among Chin’s grandchildren is Bernard Charnwut Chan (Charnwut Sophonpanich), who became both a local legislator and member of the Executive Council. Additionally, Khunying Kalaya Sophonpanich, married to Chote, served as Thailand’s Minister of Science and Technology.
Chin Sophonpanich passed away in Bangkok in 1988 at the age of seventy-seven.
References
Sources
- The Encyclopedia of the Chinese Overseas, page 223, "The Rise of Bangkok Bank", Michael R.J. Vatikiotis, Harvard University Press, ().