cavanami Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 He has a Thai passport and doesn't speak Thai??? hmmmmm....a few billion in one's pocket can make a difference!!! American Billionaire Made in Thailand Doubles Down on Kingdom After Coups http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-07-08/american-billionaire-made-in-thailand-keeping-kingdom-bet.html Ensconced in his lavishly appointed penthouse 45 stories above the teeming streets of Bangkok, U.S.- born billionaire Bill Heinecke perceives firsthand the rewards and perils of a lifetime betting on turbulent Thailand. When he opened the St. Regis hotel and residences in 2011, he reserved the two highest floors for himself, installing a spa, a wine cellar, a marble staircase and memorabilia that includes a costume worn by Yul Brynner in the Broadway musical The King and I. Even this personal haven can’t fully cocoon Heinecke, 65, from the realities of Thai life, Bloomberg Markets magazine will report in its July-August issue... During five decades in Thailand -- he surrendered his U.S. passport for Thai citizenship in 1991... He speaks barely 100 words of their language, according to investor Thadani. By his own admission, his shouting and occasional displays of anger are un-Thai-like.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 "deadly street protests" ... way to go, William Mellor. Almost all the people killed were the protesters themselves. And Bill Heinecke must have had fantastic eyesight if he could see all that from the top of the St. Regis Hotel. This bio is largely a rehash of old and even outdated material, thrown in just to pad out his feature on Heinecke. Actually, number 1 on Forbes' list of Thai billionaires is is Dhanin Chearvanont, chairman of Charoen Pokphand Group, with a net worth of US$14.3 billion. Thaksin checks in at number 5, with US$1.7 billion. Bill Heinecke is number 23, with $1.1 billion, but much of that is from his investments outside of Thailand. Still, it's quite impressive for a Farang in Thailand. If anyone wonders why Heinecke was able to be so successful, it is because his father was in the U.S. Foreign Service and was assigned to Bangkok for some time. Heinecke went to International School Bangkok and made all the right contacts. He is a dynamic individual who started in business here when he was 18. I have no idea about his fluency in Thai, but I thought one at least had to be able to hold a simple conversation and sing the national anthem to become naturalised. I wonder what his Thai name is. << Hospitality tycoon William Heinecke started Minor International as a teenager, growing it into a chain of 1,500 restaurants, 100 hotels and 250 retail outlets spanning 18 countries in Asia, Middle East and Africa. Bangkok hotels, which make up less than 10% of portfolio, saw occupancies and revenues fall but the company's shares held steady. New asset is a 10% stake in the Shah family's (No.30) construction firm Christiani & Nielsen. Outspoken advocate of Thailand's tourism sector, Heinecke launched a personal PR campaign asking foreign countries to lift travel warnings that were imposed following demonstrations in Bangkok. >> http://www.forbes.co...lliam-heinecke/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
King Kung Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Interesting story, thanks for that. It's hard to argue with success. I know his skin is white, but can a Thai citizen be considered a farang? Best not to think too mut. *Reading through the comments, that page has a shelf life of about a day (or less) It does nothing to aid the happiness factor of Thailand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Becoming a Thai citizen does not give you the right to vote until five years later. Also naturalised citizens may not become Members of Parliament nor members of the Constitutional Court. (Compare that to the US and elsewhere.) Thais often presume I am a Thai citizen, since unlike Heinecke, I do speak the language. They obviously don't know how difficult it is to become naturalised. Heinecke's wealth certainly made it easier for him. A quick look at Wikipedia shows this: << Under the 1992 Nationality Act, naturalisation as a Thai citizen requires five years of residence in Thailand, as well as proof of a certain minimum income and renunciation of one's previous citizenship. The period of residence is reduced to three years for foreign women married to Thai men. In 2003, 48 people applied for naturalisation, of whom ten were approved. >> http://en.wikipedia....nationality_law Even gaining permanent residency is hard, plus if you leave Thailand for more than 5 years, you lose that "permanent" resident status. p.s. A Farang is still a Farang here, no matter what his citizenship. Just as an Indian born in Thailand is still a "Khaek". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robaus Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 >>Becoming a Thai citizen does not give you the right to vote until five years later. ...and even then don't bother...you'll be disenfranchised anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flashermac Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 But think of the money you can get when you do vote. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Everyone forgets poor old Jacqueline Mars who has a net worth of $20.5 billion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted July 10, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 ...is she available Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 10, 2014 Report Share Posted July 10, 2014 Not sure, but she is 74 too young for you Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavanami Posted July 11, 2014 Author Report Share Posted July 11, 2014 ...yes, if she was in her 90's and in poor health, perfect!!! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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