Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi received a Bachelor of Business Administration in Finance and a Master of Economics of Money and Banking from Boston University, the United States of America. He is presently President and Chief Executive Officer of Thai Beverage Public Company Limited. He is also recognized and praised by multiple agencies and organizations as a committee member and counselor for the Forum of Economic Foundation Development and Pracharath, founded by the Prime Minister's Office.
Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi is a visionary entrepreneur, who also prioritizes the preservation of Thailand's cultural heritage and traditions because he recognizes the value of preserving, disseminating, and enhancing the nation's arts and cultures so that they can flourish within the society through cultural collaboration with agencies in various cultural projects, with the goal of "Bringing Thainess to the World" and "Creating Stable and Sustainable Value for Society." He values greatly this commitment for the continuation, preservation, and extension of Thailand's cultural heritage and traditions. Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi received a pin from Her Royal Highness Princesss Maha Chakri Sirindhorn for cultural achievement for his cultural contribution on Thai Heritage Conservation day.
For his work on the preservation and promotion of art and cultures, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi has committed to the following standards for the promotion and support of art and cultural works.
For Visual Arts, in areas of painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, and mixed media, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi is president and founder of the Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation, which mainly aims to connect works of art presented at the international contemporary art festival "Bangkok Art Biennale" (BAB). Since 2018, Bangkok Art Biennale has been held with the goal of elevating Thai contemporary art circles to international standards and promoting economic growth based on three main values: cultural heritage values, artistic values, and monetary values. More than 200 Thai and international artists' works are on display in Bangkok's landmarks, generating over 8,000 million Baht in revenue. In recognition of his contribution, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi received an honorary award, "The Best Creative Culture of the Year 2018", in the category of Significant Event of the Year, from the Ministry of Culture of Thailand.
Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi is a former president of the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand, under the Royal Patronage of the King from 2009 to 2013, and is currently president of the Photographic Arts Foundation. Taking on these roles, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi has created many creative activities in the photography industry, such as the photography competition titled "...Till We Meet Again" to record moments during the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic. Selected photographs will be donated to the National Archives of Thailand to help fund a volunteer network of youth photographers. A photography exhibition was organized to celebrate the Royal Siam Nithat Wattana 2019.
For Music and Literature area, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi focuses on nurturing youth’s ability and quality of life through music. For instance, he has been a supporter of the Luang Pradit Phairoh (Sorn Silapabanleng) Foundation since 2014, encouraging primary and secondary students to participate in the Sorn Thong Thai Music Youth Camp to learn from experts outside of the classroom. The C ASEAN Consonant Band was formed in 2015, bringing together national instrument players from 10 ASEAN countries. This band has a unique character, combing national musical instruments with a distinct identity and distinct sound to play the song in synergy as one. The ASEAN Secretariat recognizes and praises the band as an ambassador of music culture in the ASEAN region.
For a preservation of cultures and traditions, Mr. Thapana has long been actively involved in projects that are unique and important to Thailand, such as creating the book “Symbols of Love and Respect” in accordance with the royal command of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, with an initiative to collect photographs and information on textiles that Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn had collected from 77 provinces throughout Thailand as the source of study on the unique identities of textiles from each provincial region.
In addition to being a highly distinguished and successful entrepreneur in his field, Mr. Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi also applies his knowledge and expertise in the field of art and design to create values in arts and cultures, support arts in local communities, society, and the nation. He clearly possesses a sterling reputation, performs good deeds, and profoundly contributes to the nation. He therefore deserves to be honored on this occasion. The Bangkok University’s Board of Trustees has recognized his precious works and unanimously agreed to confer an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Arts in Arts and Design to honor his contributions for the benefit of people in Thailand.
