Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha Explained

Honorific Prefix:Khun
Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha
Birth Name:Vichai Raksriaksorn
Birth Date:4 April[1] [2] [3]
Birth Place:Bangkok, Thailand
Death Date:[4]
Death Place:Leicester, England
Occupation:Owner & chairman of King Power International Group
Owner & chairman of Leicester City
Chairman of OH Leuven
Spouse:Aimon Srivaddhanaprabha
Children:4, including Aiyawatt

Khun Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha (Thai: วิชัย ศรีวัฒนประภา; born Vichai Raksriaksorn, Thai: วิชัย รักศรีอักษร; 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.[5] In December 2009, King Power received the royal warrant from King Bhumibol of Thailand in a ceremony attended by Vichai.[6] In October 2018, he was ranked by Forbes magazine as the 5th richest man in Thailand, reportedly worth US$4.9 billion.[7]

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.[8] In August 2010, the Asia Football Investments consortium including Vichai and his son Aiyawatt purchased English Football League Championship club Leicester City.[9] 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.[10]

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.[11]

In May 2017, he bought his second football club, OH Leuven in Belgium.[12]

Personal life

Vichai Raksriaksorn was born into a Thai Chinese family.[13] His father, Wiwat Raksriaksorn (Chinese: 徐利明) traces his roots to Zhao'an, Fujian, China.[14] Vichai married Aimon, with whom he had four children: Voramas, Apichet, Aroonroong, and Aiyawatt.[15] In 2012, the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej bestowed the family the new surname of Srivaddhanaprabha,[16] [17] which means "light of progressive glory". He was awarded an honorary doctorate as a Doctor of Laws by the University of Leicester in 2016.[18] As a young man, Vichai studied in Taiwan and the United States.[19]

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.[20] 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.[21] [22] Vichai had a good relationship with the Thai monk 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.[23] [24] [25] In 2015, Aiyawatt became ordained as a Buddhist monk for a month.[26] [27]

In April 2019, The Asian Awards honoured him with the Outstanding Contribution to the Community Award.[28]

Death

See main article: 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.[29] The next day, it was confirmed that Vichai, along with the pilots and two other passengers had died in the crash.[30] [31] Numerous tributes were laid for Vichai outside the stadium by players along with fans of Leicester City and other football clubs.[32] In accordance with Thai burial customs, Vichai's funeral lasted for eight days, beginning on 3 November.[33] Vichai is fondly remembered by Leicester supporters.[34]

Notes and References

  1. News: Leicester City: Statue plan to honour chairman. 4 April 2019. BBC News. 29 April 2019.
  2. News: Mason . Peter . Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha obituary . 31 October 2018 . The Guardian . 27 October 2018.
  3. Web site: Appointment of Vichai Raksriaksorn as a director . Leicester City Football Club Limited . Companies House . 14 December 2010 . 1 November 2018.
  4. Club Statement: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha . Leicester City F.C. . 28 October 2018 . 28 October 2018.
  5. News: Leicester announce takeover details. The Telegraph. Sandy Macaskill . 12 August 2015.
  6. News: King Power banks on stable politics. The Nation. Watcharapong Thongrung. Bangkok. 3 December 2009. 12 January 2011. 3 March 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160303192933/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2009/12/03/business/business_30117872.php. dead.
  7. News: Cairnduff. Jason. Leicester City football club owner's helicopter crashes outside stadium. Reuters. 28 October 2018. 28 October 2018.
  8. News: Notable deaths of 2018. BBC News. 30 December 2018. 30 December 2018.
  9. News: Vichai Raksriaksorn named Leicester City chairman . 28 October 2018 . BBC Sport . 10 February 2011.
  10. News: Leicester rename Walkers Stadium the King Power Stadium . 28 October 2018 . BBC Sport . 5 July 2011.
  11. News: Crowson. Martin. Leicester City players given £100,000 BMW i8 for Premier League win . Leicestershire Live. 5 August 2016 . 10 August 2018.
  12. News: Leicester City owner buys Belgian club OH Leuven . Daily Telegraph . 17 May 2017.
  13. Web site: V for Vichai: How Leicester City's Thai owner became a billionaire – on a blessing and a prayer. Orlando. Crowcroft. 15 April 2016.
  14. News: 莱斯特城泰国老板有华人血统 想为中国足球尽份力. Legal Evening News. Beijing. https://web.archive.org/web/20160520143205/http://www.chinanews.com/ty/2016/05-18/7875029.shtml. 2016-05-20. 2016-05-18. 张骜.
  15. News: Thai billionaire owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha brought Leicester their greatest days . 28 October 2018 . Sky News . 28 October 2018.
  16. News: The Thai billionaire whose gamble on Leicester just paid off . 4 May 2016. The Guardian. 1 June 2018. Holmes. Oliver.
  17. Web site: Royal Honour For City Owners. 1 February 2013. Leicester City F.C.. 1 June 2018.
  18. Web site: University of Leicester honour for Leicester City F.C. chairman . University of Leicester . 28 October 2018 . 28 October 2018 . 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 . dead .
  19. News: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha obituary . 28 August 2019 . The Guardian . 29 October 2018.
  20. News: The Coveted Chakravarty Cup . 28 October 2018 . The Bangkok Post . 29 June 2008. According to Nicholas Colquhoun-Denvers, chairman of Ham Polo Club, Vichai is the first Asian to receive the honour of this prominent position.
  21. News: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, Leicester City owner and retail magnate, dies at 60 . 29 October 2018 . CNN.
  22. News: Leicester City chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha: Author of a football fairytale . 29 October 2018 . . . 29 October 2018 . 29 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181029232437/https://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/sport/leicester-city-owner-dies-helicopter-vichai-srivaddhanaprabha-10873494 . dead .
  23. News: Ogden . Mark . Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha's deep connection with Leicester . 29 October 2018 . . 29 October 2018 . en.
  24. News: Sherwell . Philip . Sawer . Patrick . Leicester City's 'good karma': the Buddhist monks behind the Foxes' divine play . . 30 April 2016.
  25. News: Leicester City helicopter crash: Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha the 'humble, generous, private enigma' . 29 October 2018 . . 28 October 2018.
  26. News: Collins . Cory . Leicester City's improbable EPL run, bolstered by Buddhist monks? . 29 October 2018 . . 10 February 2016.
  27. News: Troughton . A. . Vice chairman Leicester City ordained at Thai temple . . 16 February 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150704004326/http://www.leicestermercury.co.uk/Vice-chairman-Leicester-City-ordained-Thai-temple/story-26032806-detail/story.html . 4 July 2015.
  28. Web site: The Asian Awards 2019 . New Asian Post . 12 April 2019 .
  29. News: Leicester City owner's helicopter crashes. BBC News . 27 October 2018.
  30. News: Leicester City confirm chairman's death . BBC News . 28 October 2018.
  31. Web site: King Power Stadium incident . Leicestershire Police . 28 October 2018 . 28 October 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20181028224000/https://leics.police.uk/news-appeals/news/2018/10/28/king-power-stadium-incident-five-believed-dead . dead .
  32. News: Collier . Hatty . Leicester helicopter crash: Tributes laid at King Power stadium . 28 October 2018 . London Evening Standard . 28 October 2018.
  33. News: Leicester City helicopter crash: Funeral arrangements made in Thailand. BBC News. 1 November 2018. 1 November 2018.
  34. News: Leicester City helicopter crash: 'It still doesn't feel real' . BBC News. 27 October 2019. 29 May 2023.

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