Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
{{short description|Thai businessman (1958–2018)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}}
{{Expand Thai|วิชัย ศรีวัฒนประภา|date=January 2020}}
{{Infobox person
| honorific_prefix = Khun
| name = Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
| image = Vichai Raksriaksorn.jpg
| caption = Vichai at the Ham Polo Club, {{circa}} 2010
| birth_name = Vichai Raksriaksorn
| birth_date = 4 April{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-47815647|title=Leicester City: Statue plan to honour chairman|date=4 April 2019|work=BBC News|access-date=29 April 2019}} {{birth year|1958}}{{cite news |last1=Mason |first1=Peter |title=Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/oct/29/vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-obiutary |access-date=31 October 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=27 October 2018}}{{cite web |url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04593477/filing-history/MzAyODc1MzM5NWFkaXF6a2N4/document?format=pdf&download=0 |title=Appointment of Vichai Raksriaksorn as a director |author=Leicester City Football Club Limited |publisher=Companies House |date=14 December 2010 |access-date=1 November 2018}}
| birth_place = Bangkok, Thailand
| death_date = {{death date and age|2018|10|27|1958|06|05|df=yes}}{{cite press release |url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/890995/club-statement-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha/press-release |title=Club Statement: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha |publisher=Leicester City F.C. |date=28 October 2018 |access-date=28 October 2018}}
| death_place = Leicester, England
| other_names =
| occupation = Owner & chairman of King Power International Group
Owner & chairman of Leicester City
Chairman of OH Leuven
| spouse = Aimon Srivaddhanaprabha
| children = 4, including Aiyawatt
| alma_mater =
| parents =
}}
Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha ({{langx|th|วิชัย ศรีวัฒนประภา}};{{efn|{{RTGS|Wichai Siwatthanaprapha}}, {{IPA|th|wí.tɕʰāj sǐː.wát.tʰā.ná.prā.pʰāː|pron}}}} born Vichai Raksriaksorn, {{langx|th|วิชัย รักศรีอักษร}};{{efn|{{RTGS|Wichai Raksi-akson}}, {{IPA|th|rák.sǐːʔàk.sɔ̌ːn|pron}}}}{{efn|Thai people are referred to by given name; the subject was mostly known as Khun Vichai.{{cite news |last=Eldfurst |first=Simon |url=https://www.irishexaminer.com/sport/soccer/thai-owner-ofleicester-city-has-thecommon-touch-397491.html |title=Thai owner of Leicester City has the common touch |newspaper=Irish Examiner |date=4 May 2016 |access-date=31 October 2018}}}} 4 April 1958 – 27 October 2018) was a Thai billionaire businessman and the founder, owner, and chairman of King Power. He was the owner of Premier League team Leicester City from 2010 until his death in a helicopter crash just outside the club's King Power Stadium in 2018.
Career
Vichai was the founder and CEO of King Power, an operator of duty-free shops.{{cite news| title=Leicester announce takeover details| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/teams/leicester-city/7940631/Leicester-announce-takeover-details.html| newspaper=The Telegraph| author=Sandy Macaskill | date=12 August 2015}} In December 2009, King Power received the royal warrant from King Bhumibol of Thailand in a ceremony attended by Vichai.{{cite news| title= King Power banks on stable politics| url= http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/12/03/business/business_30117872.php| newspaper= The Nation| author= Watcharapong Thongrung| location= Bangkok| date= 3 December 2009| access-date= 12 January 2011| archive-date= 3 March 2016| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192933/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/12/03/business/business_30117872.php| url-status= dead}} In October 2018, he was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 5th richest man in Thailand, reportedly worth US$4.9 billion.{{cite news|last=Cairnduff|first=Jason|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-soccer-england-lei-crash/leicester-city-football-club-owners-helicopter-crashes-outside-stadium-idUSKCN1N10TV|title=Leicester City football club owner's helicopter crashes outside stadium|publisher=Reuters|date=28 October 2018|access-date=28 October 2018}}
The first football match Vichai watched in England was the 1997 League Cup final between Leicester City and Middlesbrough, which may have attracted him to the club.{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-46635152|title=Notable deaths of 2018|work=BBC News|date=30 December 2018|access-date=30 December 2018}}
In August 2010, the Asia Football Investments consortium including Vichai and his son Aiyawatt purchased English Football League Championship club Leicester City.{{cite news |title=Vichai Raksriaksorn named Leicester City chairman |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/9393953.stm |access-date=28 October 2018 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=10 February 2011}} He succeeded Milan Mandarić as chairman of the club in February 2011 while continuing as owner, and Aiyawatt became the vice chairman. In July 2011, Leicester's Walkers Stadium was renamed King Power Stadium.{{cite news |title=Leicester rename Walkers Stadium the King Power Stadium |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/football/14027229 |access-date=28 October 2018 |publisher=BBC Sport |date=5 July 2011}}
Leicester City went on to win the 2015–16 Premier League title after starting the season as 5000/1 rank outsiders. Shortly before the 2016–17 season, Vichai gave 19 players a BMW i8—at £100,000 each—as a gift for winning the title.{{cite news|last1=Crowson|first1=Martin|url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/leicester-city-players-get-gift-of-100-000-bmw-each-from-foxes-chairman/story-29589374-detail/story.html |title=Leicester City players given £100,000 BMW i8 for Premier League win |work=Leicestershire Live|date=5 August 2016 |access-date=10 August 2018}}
In May 2017, he bought his second football club, OH Leuven in Belgium.{{cite news| title= Leicester City owner buys Belgian club OH Leuven | url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/football/2017/05/16/leicester-city-owner-pushes-ahead-bid-buy-belgian-club-oh-leuven |work=Daily Telegraph |date=17 May 2017}}
Personal life
Vichai Raksriaksorn was born into a Thai Chinese family.{{cite web|url=https://www.ibtimes.co.uk/v-vichai-how-leicester-citys-thai-owner-became-billionaire-blessing-prayer-1554828|title=V for Vichai: How Leicester City's Thai owner became a billionaire – on a blessing and a prayer|first=Orlando|last=Crowcroft|date=15 April 2016}} His father, Wiwat Raksriaksorn ({{lang-zh|徐利明}}) traces his roots to Zhao'an, Fujian, China.{{cite news|title=莱斯特城泰国老板有华人血统 想为中国足球尽份力|url=http://www.chinanews.com/ty/2016/05-18/7875029.shtml|work=Legal Evening News|location=Beijing|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160520143205/http://www.chinanews.com/ty/2016/05-18/7875029.shtml|archivedate=2016-05-20|date=2016-05-18|last=张骜}} Vichai married Aimon, with whom he had four children: Voramas, Apichet, Aroonroong, and Aiyawatt.{{cite news |title=Thai billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha brought Leicester their greatest days |url=https://news.sky.com/story/who-is-leicester-owner-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-11537927 |access-date=28 October 2018 |publisher=Sky News |date=28 October 2018}} In 2012, the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej bestowed the family the new surname of Srivaddhanaprabha,{{Cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/may/04/thai-billionaire-leicester-city-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha|title=The Thai billionaire whose gamble on Leicester just paid off |date=4 May 2016|work=The Guardian|access-date=1 June 2018|last=Holmes|first=Oliver}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lcfc.com/news/434490/royal-honour-for-city-owners|title=Royal Honour For City Owners|date=1 February 2013|website=Leicester City F.C.|access-date=1 June 2018}} which means "light of progressive glory". He was awarded an honorary doctorate as a Doctor of Laws by the University of Leicester in 2016.{{cite web |title=University of Leicester honour for Leicester City F.C. chairman |url=https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2016/january/university-of-leicester-honour-for-leicester-city-f-c-chairman |website=University of Leicester |access-date=28 October 2018 |archive-date=28 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028190313/https://www2.le.ac.uk/offices/press/press-releases/2016/january/university-of-leicester-honour-for-leicester-city-f-c-chairman |url-status=dead }} As a young man, Vichai studied in Taiwan and the United States.{{cite news |title=Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha obituary |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/oct/29/vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-obiutary |access-date=28 August 2019 |work=The Guardian |date=29 October 2018}}
In his spare time, Vichai 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.{{cite news |title=The Coveted Chakravarty Cup |url=https://www.pressreader.com/thailand/bangkok-post/20080629/281844344396087 |access-date=28 October 2018 |work=The Bangkok Post |date=29 June 2008|quote=According to Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, chairman of Ham Polo Club, Vichai is the first Asian to receive the honour of this prominent position}} In addition, his sons Apichet and Aiyawatt competed in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games, representing Thailand's national polo team and earning a team silver medal.
Vichai believed that Leicester City F.C.'s success or failure was affected by karma, and he therefore endeavored to build Buddhist temples and support Buddhist monks to accumulate good karma.{{cite news |title=Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester City owner and retail magnate, dies at 60 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2018/10/28/football/vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-leicester-city-king-power-obit-intl/index.html |access-date=29 October 2018 |work=CNN}}{{cite news |title=Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha: Author of a football fairytale |url=https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/leicester-city-owner-dies-helicopter-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-10873494 |access-date=29 October 2018 |work=Channel NewsAsia |agency=Agence France-Presse |date=29 October 2018 |archive-date=29 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181029232437/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/leicester-city-owner-dies-helicopter-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-10873494 |url-status=dead }} Vichai had a good relationship with the Thai monk {{ill|Phra Prommangkalachan|th|พระพรหมมังคลาจารย์_(ธงชัย_ธมฺมธโช)}} and his fellow monks, who often blessed the team players, either in England or at the monks' home temple in Thailand, Wat Traimit. The monks flying in to see the players of the team became a common sight.{{cite news |last1=Ogden |first1=Mark |title=Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's deep connection with Leicester |url=http://www.espn.com/soccer/club/leicester-city/375/blog/post/3681362/leicester-owner-vichai-srivaddhanaprabhas-connection-with-club-ran-deeper-than-miracle-premier-league-title |access-date=29 October 2018 |work=ESPN |date=29 October 2018 |language=en}}{{cite news |last1=Sherwell |first1=Philip |last2=Sawer |first2=Patrick |title=Leicester City's 'good karma': the Buddhist monks behind the Foxes' divine play |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/04/30/leicester-citys-good-karma-the-buddhist-monks-behind-the-foxes-d/ |work=The Telegraph |date=30 April 2016}}{{cite news |title=Leicester City helicopter crash: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha {{en dash}} the 'humble, generous, private enigma' |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/46006896 |access-date=29 October 2018 |work=BBC |date=28 October 2018}} In 2015, Aiyawatt became ordained as a Buddhist monk for a month.{{cite news |last1=Collins |first1=Cory |title=Leicester City's improbable EPL run, bolstered by Buddhist monks? |url=http://www.sportingnews.com/us/soccer/news/leicester-city-epl-standings-thai-monks-buddhist-ownership-sticks/1oslhle4tocy71br6tc9c7l35k |access-date=29 October 2018 |work=Sporting News |date=10 February 2016}}{{cite news |last1=Troughton |first1=A. |title=Vice chairman Leicester City ordained at Thai temple |url=http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Vice-chairman-Leicester-City-ordained-Thai-temple/story-26032806-detail/story.html |work=Leicester Mercury |date=16 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150704004326/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Vice-chairman-Leicester-City-ordained-Thai-temple/story-26032806-detail/story.html |archive-date=4 July 2015}}
In April 2019, The Asian Awards honoured him with the Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award.{{cite web |title=The Asian Awards 2019 |url=https://www.newasianpost.com/the-asian-awards-2019-celebrate-musics-rising-star-rika/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190904191517/https://www.newasianpost.com/the-asian-awards-2019-celebrate-musics-rising-star-rika/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=4 September 2019 |website=New Asian Post |access-date=12 April 2019 }}
Death
{{Main|2018 Leicester helicopter crash}}
On 27 October 2018, Vichai's AgustaWestland AW169 helicopter crashed outside King Power Stadium shortly after taking off from the pitch. Eyewitnesses described seeing the helicopter spinning before crashing and creating a fireball.{{cite news| title=Leicester City owner's helicopter crashes| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-46006470 |work=BBC News |date=27 October 2018}} The next day, it was confirmed that Vichai, along with the pilots and two other passengers had died in the crash.{{cite news |title=Leicester City confirm chairman's death |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-46013381 |website=BBC News |access-date=28 October 2018}}{{cite web |title=King Power Stadium incident |url=https://leics.police.uk/news-appeals/news/2018/10/28/king-power-stadium-incident-five-believed-dead |website=Leicestershire Police |access-date=28 October 2018 |archive-date=28 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181028224000/https://leics.police.uk/news-appeals/news/2018/10/28/king-power-stadium-incident-five-believed-dead |url-status=dead }} Numerous tributes were laid for Vichai outside the stadium by players along with fans of Leicester City and other football clubs.{{cite news |last1=Collier |first1=Hatty |title=Leicester helicopter crash: Tributes laid at King Power stadium |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/leicester-helicopter-crash-tributes-laid-at-king-power-stadium-after-helicopter-used-by-owner-vichai-a3973726.html |access-date=28 October 2018 |work=London Evening Standard |date=28 October 2018}} In accordance with Thai burial customs, Vichai's funeral lasted for eight days, beginning on 3 November.{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-46057980| title= Leicester City helicopter crash: Funeral arrangements made in Thailand|work=BBC News| date=1 November 2018| access-date=1 November 2018}} Vichai is fondly remembered by Leicester supporters.{{cite news| url= https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leicestershire-50183682 | title= Leicester City helicopter crash: 'It still doesn't feel real' |work=BBC News| date=27 October 2019| access-date=29 May 2023}}
In January 2025, the family of Srivaddhanaprabha announced that they were suing Leonardo, manufacturer of the helicopter of the incident, for in excess of £2 billion for loss of earnings and other damages. {{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c05lj65yjl0o|publisher=BBC News|date=10 January 2025|title=Legal action over Leicester City helicopter crash}}
Notes
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References
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External links
{{commons category-inline|Vichai Raksriaksorn}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Srivaddhanaprabha, Vichai}}
Category:Leicester City F.C. directors and chairmen
Category:People associated with the University of Leicester
Category:Thai expatriates in the United Kingdom
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in England
Category:Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2018
Category:Victims of helicopter accidents or incidents in the United Kingdom