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| birth_place = [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| birth_place = [[Bangkok]], [[Thailand]]
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|10|27|1958|04|04|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/890995/club-statement-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha/press-release |title=Club Statement: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha |website=Leicester City F.C. |date=28 October 2018 |access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|10|27|1958|04|04|df=yes}}<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/890995/club-statement-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha/press-release |title=Club Statement: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha |website=Leicester City F.C. |date=28 October 2018 |access-date=28 October 2018}}</ref>
| death_cause = Aviation Accident
| death_place = [[Leicester]], England
| death_place = [[Leicester]], England
| nationality = Thai
| nationality = Thai

Revision as of 22:19, 28 October 2018

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Srivaddhanaprabha
at the Ham Polo Club in 2010
Born(1958-04-04)4 April 1958[1][1]
Bangkok, Thailand
Died27 October 2018(2018-10-27) (aged 60)[2]
Leicester, England
Cause of deathAviation Accident
NationalityThai
Occupation(s)Owner & chairman of King Power International Group
Chairman of Leicester City
Chairman of OH Leuven
SpouseAimon Srivaddhanaprabha
Children4, including Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha
WebsiteKing Power

Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (Thai: วิชัย ศรีวัฒนประภา; RTGS: Wichai Siwatthanaprapha[needs IPA]), born Vichai Raksriaksorn (Thai: วิชัย รักศรีอักษร; RTGS: Wichai Raksi-akson) (4 April 1958 – 27 October 2018), was a Thai billionaire businessman and the founder, owner and chairman of King Power Duty Free. He was also the owner of Premier League football club Leicester City from 2010 until his death in a 2018 helicopter accident.

Career

Srivaddhanaprabha was the founder and CEO of King Power Duty Free, an operator of duty-free shops.[3] In December 2009, King Power received the royal warrant from the King of Thailand in a ceremony attended by Raksriaksorn.[4] He was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 7th richest man in Thailand,[1] reportedly worth US$3.3 billion.

In August 2010, the Asia Football Investments consortium including Srivaddhanaprabha and his son Aiyawatt purchased English Football League Championship club Leicester City.[5] He succeeded Milan Mandarić as chairman of the club in February 2011 while continuing as owner, and Aiyawatt became the vice chairman.[5] In July 2011, the club's formerly named Walkers Stadium was renamed the King Power Stadium.[6]

Leicester City went on to win the 2015–16 Premier League title. Shortly before the 2016–17 season, Srivaddhanaprabha gifted 19 players a BMW i8—at £100,000 each—as a gift for winning the title.[7]

In May 2017, he bought his second football club, OH Leuven in Belgium.[8]

Polo

In his spare time he was an avid polo player, and owned the VR Polo Club in Bangkok. He was the president of Ham Polo Club in London from 2008 to 2012.[9]

Personal life

Srivaddhanaprabha was born into a Thai Chinese family.[10] He was married to Aimon Srivaddhanaprabha at the time of his death, with whom he had four children: Voramas, Apichet, Aroonroong, and Aiyawatt.[11] In 2012, the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej bestowed the family the new surname of Srivaddhanaprabha,[12][13] which means "light of progressive glory".[11] He was awarded an honorary doctorate as a Doctor of Laws by the University of Leicester in 2016.[14]

Death

Main article: 2018 Leicester City F.C. helicopter crash

On 27 October 2018, Srivaddhanaprabha's AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter crashed outside the King Power Stadium shortly after taking off from the pitch. Eyewitnesses described seeing the helicopter spinning before crashing and creating a fireball.[15] On 28 October, it was reported that Srivaddhanaprabha, three passengers and the pilot had all died in the crash.[16][17] Numerous tributes were laid to Srivaddhanaprabha outside the King Power Stadium by fans of Leicester City and other football clubs.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b c d "Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha". Forbes. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. ^ "Club Statement: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha". Leicester City F.C. 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  3. ^ Sandy Macaskill (12 August 2015). "Leicester announce takeover details". The Telegraph.
  4. ^ Watcharapong Thongrung (3 December 2009). "King Power banks on stable politics". The Nation. Bangkok.
  5. ^ a b "Vichai Raksriaksorn named Leicester City chairman". BBC Sport. 10 February 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  6. ^ "Leicester rename Walkers Stadium the King Power Stadium". BBC Sport. 5 July 2011. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  7. ^ Crowson, Martin (5 August 2016). "Leicester City players given £100,000 BMW i8 for Premier League win". Leicestershire Live. Retrieved 10 August 2018.
  8. ^ "Leicester City owner buys Belgian club OH Leuven". Daily Telegraph. 17 May 2017.
  9. ^ "The Coveted Chakravarty Cup". The Bangkok Post. 29 June 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2018. According to Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, chairman of Ham Polo Club, Vichai is the first Asian to receive the honour of this prominent position
  10. ^ V for Vichai: How Leicester City's Thai owner became a billionaire – on a blessing and a prayer
  11. ^ a b "Thai billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha brought Leicester their greatest days". Sky News. 28 October 2018. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  12. ^ Holmes, Oliver (4 May 2016). "The Thai billionaire whose gamble on Leicester just paid off". The Guardian. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  13. ^ "Royal Honour For City Owners". Leicester City F.C. 1 February 2013. Retrieved 1 June 2018.
  14. ^ "University of Leicester honour for Leicester City F.C. chairman". University of Leicester. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  15. ^ "Leicester City owner's helicopter crashes". BBC News. 27 October 2018.
  16. ^ "Leicester City confirm chairman's death". BBC News. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  17. ^ "King Power Stadium incident". Leicestershire Police. Retrieved 28 October 2018.
  18. ^ Collier, Hatty (28 October 2018). "Leicester helicopter crash: Tributes laid at King Power stadium". The Standard. Retrieved 28 October 2018.

External links

Media related to Vichai Raksriaksorn at Wikimedia Commons

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