The Teochew (), Teo-Swa, or Chaoshanese are an ethnic group historically native to the

Chaoshan Chaoshan or Teoswa ( zh, s=潮汕, p=Cháoshàn, cy=Chìusaan; peng'im: ) is a cultural-linguistic region in the east of Guangdong, China. It is the origin of the Teochew Min language. The region, also known as Chiushan in Cantonese, consists of ...

region in south China who speak the

Teochew language Teochew, also known as Swatow or Teo-Swa, is a Southern Min language spoken by the Teochew people in the Chaoshan region of eastern Guangdong and by their diaspora around the world. It is sometimes referred to as ''Chiuchow'', its Cantonese ...

. Today, most ethnic Teochew people live throughout Chaoshan and Hong Kong, and also outside China in

Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...

, including in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, and the Philippines. The community can also be found in diasporas around the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France.

Names

The ancestral homeland of the Teochew people is now known in China as Teo-Swa or Chaoshan (;

Peng'im ( zh, s=潮州话拼音方案, t=潮州話拼音方案: ( Teochew) ( Swatow), : or , : or ) is a Teochew dialect romanization system as a part of Guangdong Romanization published by Guangdong Provincial Education Department in 1960. The ...

: ; ). This whole region was historically known as Teochew (;

: ; ), and this term continues to be used by the Teochew diaspora in Southeast Asia. In referring to themselves as Sinitic people, Teochew people generally use (), as opposed to (). Teochew people also commonly refer to each other as ().

History

The ancestors of the Teochew people moved to present-day

as refugees from central and northern China due to various reasons. Historical texts suggest this was likely due to war and famine in the region. The Teochews, along with the Hokkien people, migrated from the Central Plains and Yellow River region, mainly from the Henan, Shaanxi and Shandong provinces. This is evident in several genetic studies, which show a strong relationship and ancestry based on common Y-chromosome patterns and higher prevalence of esophageal cancer. Han Chinese from the Taihang region of Henan are likely the ancestral population for both Fujian Han (i.e. Hokkien people) and the Chaoshan Han (i.e. the Teochew people). The Teochew language was officially established sometime around Tang and Song period, before becoming a mature and well-established language sometime during late Ming / early Qing period. From approximately 900 AD – 1600 AD, as a result of various wars and political instability in the north, there was a large influx of Han Chinese from the north and central provinces to the Chaoshan region. The Teochew were often called

Fulao The Hoklo people () are a Han Chinese subgroup who speak Hokkien, a Southern Min language, or trace their ancestry to southeastern Fujian in China, and known by various related terms such as Banlam people (), Minnan people, Fujianese people or ...

(Hoklo) because they came mostly passed through Fujian during migration, with some well-maintained language and customs from ancient China. As was recorded in pedigrees and ancient inscriptions, one of the two groups of those who temporarily migrated to the capital city of Fujian later moved to parts of

instead in batches during the

Tang dynasty The Tang dynasty (, ; zh, c=唐朝), or the Tang Empire, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 618 to 907, with an Wu Zhou, interregnum between 690 and 705. It was preceded by the Sui dynasty and followed ...

, genetically intermixing with the local people within Chaoshan there. The Teochew people are mistakenly known to the Cantonese as "Hoklo", literally meaning "men of Fujian", although the term "Teochew" was used in the

Straits Settlements The Straits Settlements () were a group of British territories located in Southeast Asia. Originally established in 1826 as part of the territories controlled by the British East India Company, the Straits Settlements came under control of the ...

in the 19th century and early 20th century. "Teochew" is derived from Teochew prefecture (Chaozhou Fu) the departmental city where they originate.Kingsley Bolton, Christopher Hutton, Triad societies: western accounts of the history, sociology and linguistics of Chinese secret societies, p. 93.

Teochew immigration to Singapore

The writings of Stamford Raffles and William Farquhar indicate that the British found Temenggong Abdul Rahman with 400 to 500 residents in Singapore in January 1819. Another member of the 1819 expedition party, Captain John Crawford, recalled in his diary an encounter with "upwards of 100" of Chinese. British colonial documentations revealed that Temenggong Abdul Rahman had provided these Chinese who were Teochews the cost and expenses of opening gambier plantations at Mount Stamford (now Pearl’s Hill) prior to British arrival. He had also "in some instances" advanced money to the Teochew cultivators on the understanding he would be repaid in the form of gambier or other produce. Farquhar had the impressions that the Temenggong’s interests in these plantations were represented by a brother-in-law of his named Baba Ketchil and the first Captain China of Singapore, a Teochew merchant named Tan Heng Kim (陈亨钦), was "one of the principal persons concerned". Based on Teochew oral traditions in Singapore published by Phua Chye Long (潘醒农) in ''Teo-chews in Malaya'' (马来亚潮侨通鉴) in 1950, the first Teochews in Singapore were led by Tan Heng Kim, who was from Siam, and a second merchant named Heng Hong Sung (王丰顺) from Ampou town in Chaozhou, China. Together, they founded the

Yueh Hai Ching Temple Yueh Hai Ching Temple (Traditional Chinese , Simplified Chinese ), also known as the Wak Hai Cheng Bio from its Teochew pronunciation, is a Chinese temple in Singapore located in Raffles Place, Singapore's central business district. The temple, ...

on the south bank of the Singapore River. From the 19th century, significant numbers of Teochew people left their homeland for Singapore and a new life. Early Teochew settlers could trace their origins to eight counties/prefectures (潮州八邑): Chao'an,

Chenghai Chenghai (; postal: Tenghai; Teochew: Thěng Hài) is a district of the city of Shantou, Guangdong Province, China. Located at the Han River Delta in the southeast part of Guangdong Province, Chenghai spans from 116°41' to 116°54' E longitud ...

, Chaoyang,

Jieyang Jieyang ( zh, s=揭阳, p=Jiēyáng, t=揭陽; Chaozhou dialect: gig4 iên5; Jieyang dialect: gêg4 ion5) is a prefecture-level city in eastern Guangdong Province (Yuedong), People's Republic of China, part of the Chaoshan region whose peopl ...

Raoping Raoping County ( postal: Jaoping; ) is a county in eastern Guangdong Province, bordering Fujian Province to the east, facing the South China Sea to the south, Xiangqiao District to the southwest, Chenghai District of Shantou City, Chao'an Distr ...

Puning Puning ( zh, c=, p=Pǔníng, s=普宁, t=普寧; Teochew: Pou2 leng5), officially Puning City, is a county-level city located in Eastern Guangdong, China, under the administration of the city, Jieyang. Nevertheless, its administrative power in ec ...

Huilai Huilai County ( postal: Hweilai; ) is a county covering part of the eastern coast of Guangdong province, China, facing the South China Sea to the south. It lies under the jurisdiction of Jieyang. According to the 2020 Chinese census, the county h ...

and Nan'ao. In addition to these new immigrants from the port of Swatow (

Shantou Shantou, Chinese postal romanization, alternately romanization of Chinese, romanized as Swatow and sometimes known as Santow, is a prefecture-level city on the eastern coast of Guangdong, China, with a total population of 5,502,031 as of the 20 ...

), Teochew immigrants from

Siam Thailand, officially the Kingdom of Thailand and historically known as Siam (the official name until 1939), is a country in Southeast Asia on the Mainland Southeast Asia, Indochinese Peninsula. With a population of almost 66 million, it spa ...

and the

Riau Islands The Riau Islands () is a provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia consisting of a group of islands located in the western part of the country. It was established in 2002 after being separated from the neighboring Riau Province. The capit ...

also began settling in Singapore after 1819. Today, Teochew language is the second-most spoken Sinitic language in Singapore. They are the second-largest tracked Chinese dialect group in Singapore, comprising 21% of the sinitic population. As a result, they play a significant role in commerce and politics. Hougang, a historically Teochew neighbourhood, remains the longest-held opposition ward in Singapore when

Low Thia Khiang Low Thia Khiang (; born 5 September 1956) is a Singaporean former politician and the secretary-general of the Workers' Party (WP) between 2001 and 2018. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for Hougang Single Member Constituency (SMC) betw ...

, who frequently gave campaign rally speeches in Teochew, won the seat in 1988.

Teochew in Taiwan

Most of the Teochew descendants in Taiwan have already been "

hokkien Hokkien ( , ) is a Varieties of Chinese, variety of the Southern Min group of Chinese language, Chinese languages. Native to and originating from the Minnan region in the southeastern part of Fujian in southeastern China, it is also referred ...

ized" ("hoklonized"). They speak the

Taiwanese Hokkien Taiwanese Hokkien ( , ), or simply Taiwanese, also known as Taigi ( zh, c=臺語, tl=Tâi-gí), Taiwanese Southern Min ( zh, c=臺灣閩南語, tl=Tâi-uân Bân-lâm-gí), Hoklo and Holo, is a variety of the Hokkien language spoken natively ...

language instead of Teochew, but some Teochew are still in Chaozhou township, in

Pingtung County Pingtung () is a County (Taiwan), county located in southern Taiwan. It has a warm tropical monsoon climate and is known for its agriculture and tourism. Kenting National Park, Taiwan's oldest national park, is located in the county. The county ...

. A 1926 Japanese census found that 134,800 people in Taiwan were of Teochew ancestry.

Diaspora

Like the rest of the Chinese diaspora, the Teochew have been known for their ability to thrive in adverse settings and harsh conditions, and to tolerate very low margins in the initial phase of a business. While the Chinese diaspora as a whole is known for its relative success and economically dominant position in SE Asia – so that tycoons and successful businesspeople can be found from all dialect groups, the Teochew, in particular, have acquired a special reputation for their commercial acumen and derring-do, and often have the highest socioeconomic status amongst the Chinese diaspora, especially in Thailand. Their role as rice merchants enabled them to later develop the capital needed to become the nations' bankers.

Culture

Throughout a history of over 1000 years, the region of

, known in ancient times as Teochew Prefecture, has developed and cultivated a prestigious culture, which manifests its unique characteristics in language, opera, traditional dress, cuisine, tea practice, music, and embroidery. The

( zh, s=潮州话, t=潮州話; Teochew pronunciation: Diê5 ziu1 uê7) is a series of dialect varieties spoken across the geographical area which was formerly administered by Teochew Prefecture (or Chaozhou Fu, 潮州府) from the

Hongwu The Hongwu Emperor (21 October 1328– 24 June 1398), also known by his temple name as the Emperor Taizu of Ming, personal name Zhu Yuanzhang, courtesy name Guorui, was the List of emperors of the Ming dynasty, founding emperor of the Ming dyna ...

period of the Ming dynasty (1369) to the end of the Qing dynasty. It is spoken by roughly 10 million people in Chaoshan and more than five million outside the Chinese mainland.

Teochew Cuisine Teochew cuisine, also known as Chiuchow cuisine, Chaozhou cuisine or Teo-swa cuisine, originated from the Chaoshan region in the eastern part of China's Guangdong Province, which includes the cities of Chaozhou, Shantou and Jieyang. Teoch ...

is known for its unique cooking method, distinctive sauces, seafood dishes, and stews.

Teochew opera Teochew opera ( Chinese: 潮劇; Teochow: diê5 giah8) or Chaozhou opera, Chiuchow opera (especially in Hong Kong), is one of the many variants of Chinese opera, originating in southern China's Chaoshan region. It is popular in eastern Guangdong, ...

( zh, c=潮劇) is a traditional art form, which has a history of more than 400 years and is now enjoyed by 20 million Teochew people in over 20 countries and regions. Based on local folk dances and ballads, Teochew opera has formed its own style under the influence of Nanxi Opera. Nanxi is one of the oldest Chinese operas and originated in the

Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...

. The old form of choral accompaniment still preserves its distinctive features. Clowns (潮丑) and females are the most distinctive characters in Teochew opera, and fan play and acrobatic skills are prominent.

Teochew music Teochew (; peng'im: ) is a Southern Min language spoken in Eastern Guangdong and by a Teochew diaspora in Southeast Asia and around the world. Teochew may also refer to: * Teochew region (also known as Teo-Swa or Chaoshan), a region of Eastern Gu ...

( zh, c=潮州音樂) is popular in Chaoshan's teahouse scene. The Teochew

string String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

instrument, gong, drum, and traditional Chinese flute are typically involved in ensembles. The current Chaozhou drum music is said to be similar to the Drum and Wind Music form of the Han and Tang dynasties. Teochew woodcarving ( zh, c=潮州木雕) is a form of Chinese woodcarving originating from Chaoshan. Featuring exquisite, sophisticated, precise and lifelike carvings, Teochew woodcarving is one of the oldest and lively woodcarving art in China. Teochew people used a great deal of Teochew wood carving in their buildings, especially the Teochew gold-leaf gilded carving (金漆木雕). Puning-YingGe

Yingge dance Yingge dance, Yingge, Engor ( Chinese: 英歌 or 鶯歌; Mandarin Chinese: Yīnggē), or "''Hero's Song''," is a form of Chinese folk dance dating back the Ming Dynasty. It is very popular in Teochew, a region in the east of Guangdong, particula ...

( zh, c=英歌) is a form of Chinese folk dance which started in the Qing dynasty. With a history of more than 300 years, it is regarded as one of the most representative forms folk arts in Teochew culture. Although few movies or television dramas have been made about the Teochew people, one such notable drama is the Singaporean 1995 drama series ''

The Teochew Family The Teochew Family () is a 1995 Singaporean television series produced by Television Corporation of Singapore and Fujian TV. The series follows the trials and tribulations of the Teochew Cai Family under the patriarch Cai Qingyang, portrayed by Ke ...

''. In 2019,

Netflix Netflix is an American subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service. The service primarily distributes original and acquired films and television shows from various genres, and it is available internationally in multiple lang ...

released the documentary series ''

Flavorful Origins ''Flavorful Origins'' (风味原产地) is a Chinese television documentary series, exploring culinary secrets of China and the various cooking techniques and cuisines with native Asian ingredients from the Chaoshan (season 1, 2019), Yunnan (seaso ...

'', which focused on Teochew cuisine.

Notable Teochew people

Royalty

* King

Taksin King Taksin the Great (, , ) or the King of Thonburi (, ; ; Teochew: Dên Chao; 17 April 1734 – 7 April 1782) was the only king of the Thonburi Kingdom that ruled Thailand from 1767 to 1782. He had been an aristocrat in the Ayutthaya Kingdom ...

of the

Thonburi Kingdom The Thonburi Kingdom was a major Thai people, Siamese kingdom which existed in Southeast Asia from 1767 to 1782, centered around the city of Thonburi, in Siam or present-day Thailand. The kingdom was founded by Taksin, who reunited Siam follow ...

Politicians

Leaders

Pridi Banomyong Pridi Banomyong (, , ; 11 May 1900 – 2 May 1983), also known by his noble title Luang Praditmanutham (), was a Thai lawyer, professor, activist, politician, and senior statesman. He served in multiple ministerial posts, as regent, and as pri ...

, 7th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1946 *

Thawan Thamrongnawasawat Thawan Thamrongnawasawat (also spelt ''Thawal Thamrongnavaswadhi'' or ''Thawal Thamrongnavasawat''; , ; ); 21 November 1901 – 3 December 1988), also known by his noble title as Thai nobility, Luang Thamrongnawasawat, was the eighth Prime Mini ...

, 8th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1946–1947 *

Thanin Kraivichien Thanin Kraivichien (first name also spelled ''Tanin'', last name ''Kraivixien'' or ''Kraivichian''; , , ; 5 April 1927 – 23 February 2025) was a Thai judge, politician and law professor. He was the prime minister of Thailand between 1976 and ...

, 14th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1976–1977 *

Kriangsak Chamanan Kriangsak Chamanan (, ; 17 December 191723 December 2003) served as list of Prime Ministers of Thailand, prime minister of Thailand from 1977 to 1980. After staging a successful coup, he was asked to become Prime Minister in 1977. He ruled until ...

, 15th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1977–1980 *

Chatichai Choonhavan Chatichai Choonhavan (; , ; 5 April 1920 – 6 May 1998) was a Thai army officer, diplomat and politician. From 1986 to 1991, he was the chairman of the Thai Nation Party and served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from August 1988 until the 1 ...

, 17th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1988–1991. *

Suchinda Kraprayoon Suchinda Kraprayoon (, ; 6 August 193310 June 2025) was a Thai army general and politician who was Prime Minister of Thailand for several weeks in 1992. As the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army (1990–1992), Suchinda led the 1991 T ...

, 19th Prime Minister of Thailand; 1992 *

Banharn Silpa-archa Banharn Silpa-archa (, , ; , '' mǎdéxiáng''; 19 August 1932 – 23 April 2016) was a Thai politician who served as the Prime Minister of Thailand from 1995 to 1996. Banharn made a fortune in the construction business before he became a Memb ...

, 21st Prime Minister of Thailand; 1995–1996 *

Chavalit Yongchaiyudh Chavalit Yongchaiyudh (, , ; born 15 May 1932), also known as "Big Jiew" (, , ), is a Thai politician and retired army officer, he served as the prime minister of Thailand from 1996 to 1997. From 1986 to 1990, he was the Commander-in-chief of ...

, 22nd Prime Minister of Thailand; 1996–1997

Cabinet ministry

Bhichai Rattakul Bhichai Rattakul (, , ; 16 September 1924 – 28 February 2022) was a Thai politician who served as the deputy prime minister from 1983 to 1990 and 1997 to 2000, speaker of the House of Representatives, and president of the National Assembly. He ...

, President of the National Assembly, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand. *

Chumpol Silpa-archa Chumpol Silpa-archa (, , ; 6 June 1940 – 21 January 2013) was a Thai politician who served in the government of Thailand as Minister of Tourism and Sports from 2008 to 2013; he was also Deputy Prime Minister from 2011 to 2013. Beginning in Ja ...

, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Minister of Tourism and Sports, Minister of Education. * Kalaya Sophonpanich, Minister of Science and Technology of Thailand. * Korn Dabbaransi, Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand, Minister of Office of the Prime Minister, Minister of Science and Technology, Minister of Public Health, Minister of Industry. * Bhichit Rattakul, Governor of Bangkok. *

Alice Wong Alice Wong Chan Siu-ping (; ' Chan, born June 30, 1948) is a Canadian politician and a member of the Conservative Party who served as the member of Parliament (MP) for the electoral district of Richmond Centre from 2015 to 2021. She previo ...

, Minister of Business, Minister of Seniors of Canada. *

Lim Boon Heng Lim Boon Heng (; born 18 November 1947) is a Singaporean trade unionist and former politician. Since retiring from politics, Lim has been the chairman of Temasek Holdings since 2013. A former member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP) ...

, former Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Minister without portfolio. *

Lim Swee Say Lim Swee Say (; born 13 July 1954) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the National Trades Union Congress between 2005 and 2015, Ministry of Manpower (Singapore), Minister for Manpower between 2015 and 2018, Pr ...

, former Minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Minister for Manpower, Minister for the Environment of Singapore. *

, former Singapore Member-of-Parliament and

Workers' Party Workers' Party is a name used by several political parties throughout the world. The name has been used by both organisations on the left and right of the political spectrum. It is currently used by followers of Marxism, Marxism–Leninism, Maoism ...

secretary-general. *

Teo Chee Hean Teo Chee Hean ( zh, s=张志贤, poj=Tioⁿ Chì-hiân, p=Zhāng Zhìxián, first=poj; born 27 December 1954) is a Singaporean former politician and two-star rear-admiral who served as Senior Minister of Singapore and Coordinating Minister for ...

, Senior Minister of Singapore, Coordinating Minister for National Security. *

Tan Soo Khoon Tan Soo Khoon ( zh, c=陈树群, p=Chén Shùqún; born 1 September 1949) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore between 1989 and 2001. Education Tan attended the Anglo-Chinese School before gr ...

, former Speaker of the Parliament of Singapore. *

Varawut Silpa-archa Varawut Silpa-archa (; ) is a Thai politician and current Ministry of Social Development and Human Security (Thailand), Minister of Social Development and Human Security under the Srettha cabinet, coalition government of Prime Minister Srettha Th ...

, Minister of Natural Resources and Environment of Thailand. * Koh Poh Koon, Senior Minister for Environment, Manpower, Trade and Industry of Singapore.

Others

Kraisak Choonhavan Kraisak Choonhavan (, 8 October 1947 – 11 June 2020) was a Thai politician. He was a member of the Senate for Nakhon Ratchasima Province from 2000 till 2006. Family and education Born the son of former prime minister General Chatichai Choonh ...

, member of Thailand parliament. *

Gladys Liu Gladys Liu (, ; born 6 April 1964) is a Hong Kong-born Australian politician who currently serves as a councillor of the City of Melbourne. She previously represented the Division of Chisholm in Victoria for the Liberal Party from her election ...

, Member of Parliament for Chisholm, Australia.

Businesspeople and entrepreneurs

Li Ka-shing Sir Ka-shing Li (; born 29 July 1928) is a Hong Kong billionaire business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is the senior advisor for CK Hutchison Holdings and CK Asset Holdings, after he retired from the Chairman of the Board in May ...

, founder of

Cheung Kong Holdings Cheung Kong (Holdings) Limited, is a multinational conglomerate, based in Hong Kong. It was one of Hong Kong's leading multi-national conglomerates. The company merged with its subsidiary Hutchison Whampoa on 3 June 2015, as part of a ma ...

. * Chau Chak-Wing, founder of Kingold Group. *

Chin Sophonpanich Chin Sophonpanich (; ; 10 November 1910 – 4 January 1988) was a Thai entrepreneur who founded Bangkok Bank and Bangkok Insurance. Biography Chin was born in Wat Sai quarter in Thonburi Province (currently Chom Thong District) to a Thai C ...

, founded

Bangkok Bank Bangkok Bank Public Company Limited (, Royal Thai General System of Transcription, RTGS: Thanakhan Krung Thep) is one of the largest commercial banks in Thailand. Its branch network includes over 800 branches as of May 2024, within Thailand, wit ...

and Bangkok Insurance. *

Vincent Lo Vincent Lo Hong-sui, GBM, GBS, JP (; born 18 April 1948) is a Hong Kong businessman. He is the chairman of Hong Kong–based Shui On Group, a building-materials and construction firm. He graduated from the University of New South Wales, Aus ...

, founder and chairman of Shui On Group. *

Lim Por-yen Lim Por-yen（21 December 1914 – 18 February 2005) was a Hong Kong industrialist. He founded the Lai Sun Group, and his family was the biggest shareholder of Asia Television. Biography Lim was born in Chaoyang, Shantou, on 21 December 1 ...

, founded the

Lai Sun Group Lai Sun Group () is a Hong Kong conglomerate. It was founded by garment billionaire and entrepreneur, Lim Por-yen. Its businesses include property development, real estate investment, hotel, telecom, mass media and entertainment. Lai Sun is w ...

. *

Goh Cheng Liang Goh Cheng Liang (born 1927) is a Singaporean billionaire businessman who founded Wuthelam Holdings, which manufactures paint and coatings. Early life Goh Cheng Liang was born in Singapore. He is the son of Wu Songchang and Li Xiuying. He g ...

, billionaire businessman, founded Wuthelam Holdings, which manufactures paint and coatings. *

Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi (; zh, c=, p=Sū Xùmíng, s=苏旭明, t=蘇旭明; : ; ; born 2 May 1944) is a Thai business magnate and investor. He is the founder of ThaiBev, Thai Beverage, and the chairman of conglomerates TCC Group (Thailand) ...

, billionaire, founder of

Thai Beverage Thai Beverage, better known as ThaiBev () (), is Thailand's largest and one of Southeast Asia's largest beverage companies, with distilleries in Thailand, UK, and China. It is owned by Thai Chinese billionaire business magnate Charoen Sirivadha ...

, and the chairman of conglomerates

TCC Group TCC Group may refer to: * TCC Group (Thailand) The Sirivadhanabhakdi family () is a Sino-Thai business family and one of the wealthiest in Thailand. The family is headed by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, who made his fortune in the alcoholic beverages ...

and

Fraser and Neave Fraser and Neave, Limited (F&N) is a Thai-Singaporean food and beverage and publishing and printing industries conglomerate. It is owned by Thai Chinese billionaire business magnate Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi. Listed in Singapore, the group's sub ...

. *

Krit Ratanarak Krit Ratanarak (; ; ; born 19 April 1946) is a Thai-Chinese billionaire businessman, and the chairman of Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Company (operator of Channel 7) and head of one of Thailand's leading family business groups. He is also ...

, chairman of Bangkok Broadcasting & Television Company. *

Joseph Lau Joseph Lau Luen-hung (; born 21 July 1951) is a Hong Kong billionaire businessman. Lau is the former chairman of property developer Chinese Estates. He is an avid art and wine collector. His fortune is estimated by ''Forbes'' at $13.3 bi ...

, founder, chairman, and CEO of

Chinese Estates Group Chinese Estates Group is a real estate development group based in Hong Kong. The group comprises three Hong Kong publicly listed companies : Chinese Estates Holdings Limited (Stock Code: 127), Chi Cheung Investment Company, Limited (Stock Code ...

. *

Thomas Lau Thomas Lau Luen-hung (born 1953) is a Hong Kong business magnate of Teochew people, Teochew descent. He is the chairman and CEO of Lifestyle International Holdings which operates one of Hong Kong's largest department stores, Sogo Hong Kong. He is ...

, CEO of Lifestyle International Holdings which operates Hong Kong's largest department,

Sogo Hong Kong Sogo Hong Kong () is one of Hong Kong's largest department stores. First established by Japanese retailers, Sogo Co., Ltd. ( Japanese: 株式会社そごう), the department store is now owned by Lifestyle International Holdings (). In additio ...

. *

Trương Mỹ Lan Trương Mỹ Lan (; born 13 October 1956) is a Vietnamese businesswoman who founded the real estate development group , of which she is on the board of directors. A key figure in Vietnam's largest, multi-billion-dollar financial fraud, Lan was ...

, billionaire businesswoman and real estate developer in Vietnam, convicted for corruption in 2024. *

Peter Lam Peter Lam Kin-ngok, GBS (, born 7 August 1957) is a Hong Kong businessman and billionaire who has developed a reputation in Hong Kong's business, media, and entertainment industry, as well as in Asia's hospitality and food and beverage industrie ...

, billionaire and chairman of the

Hong Kong Trade Development Council The Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) is a statutory body established in 1966 for international marketing dedicated to creating opportunities for Hong Kong's businesses. The organisation has 51 offices around the world, including 1 ...

. *

Chartsiri Sophonpanich Chartsiri Sophonpanich (, , zh, 陳智深, Teochew: Tâng Tì-tshim; born 12 May 1959) is a Thai banker. He currently serves as president of Bangkok Bank, the largest commercial bank in Thailand and one of the largest regional banks in Southeas ...

, president of

. *

Ma Huateng Ma Huateng (, born October 29, 1971) is a Chinese businessman, investor and philanthropist who is the co-founder, chairperson and chief executive officer (CEO) of Tencent, one of the most valuable companies in East Asia, one of the largest int ...

, one of the top ten richest men in the world, with an estimated net worth of US$55.3 billion. He is the founder, chairman, and CEO of

Tencent Tencent Holdings Ltd. ( zh, s=腾讯, p=Téngxùn) is a Chinese Multinational corporation, multinational technology Conglomerate (company), conglomerate and holding company headquartered in Shenzhen. It is one of the highest grossing multimed ...

. * Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO and president of ThaiBev.

Actors and singers

Chen Shucheng Chen Shucheng (born Tan Soo Seng on 21 October 1949) is a Singaporean actor and television host. He is one of Mediacorp's few artistes still active from the " black and white TV" era. Career Acting Chen joined Mediacorp Mediacorp Pte. L ...

, actor and host. *

Tan Kheng Hua Tan Kheng Hua (born 17 January 1963) is a Singaporean actress. She is best known for her supporting roles in the 2018 Hollywood film ''Crazy Rich Asians'' and in American television network the CW's martial arts television series ''Kung Fu'' ...

, actress *

Canti Lau Lau Sek Ming (; born 16 July 1964) is a Hong Kong actor and singer. He was born in Hong Kong, but his ancestral home is Chaoyang, Guangdong ) means "wide" or "vast", and has been associated with the region since the creation of Guang Prefec ...

, actor and singer. *

Zoe Tay Zoe Tay Hui Gek (born 10 January 1968) is a Singaporean actress and former model. She has been referred to as the "Queen of Caldecott Hill" and "Ah Jie". To date, Tay has received four Star Awards for Best Actress. Early life Tay is the s ...

, actress and former model. *

Chen Hanwei Chen Hanwei (born Tan Hung Wee on 29 August 1969) is a Malaysian people, Malaysian actor, host and former fashion coordinator based in Singapore. To date, Chen has received seven Star Awards for Best Actor, a record for the most wins in tha ...

, actor. * Joe Ma, actor. *

Ada Choi Ada Choi Siu-fan (; born 17 September 1973) is a Hong Kong actress who gained fame with the TVB dramas such as '' Healing Hands'' (1998–2000) and '' Where the Legend Begins'' (2002), before she shifted her career to mainland China, where she gai ...

, actress. *

James Ma James Assarasakorn (, ; born July 3, 1993) known professionally as James Ma (, ), is a Thai actor and model. He made an acting debut in 2013 in '' Gentlemen of Jutathep Series'' as M.R. Ronapee Jutathep. He is currently working under TVS 500. ...

, actor and model from Thailand. *

Lucas Wong Wong Yuk-hei ( zh, t=黃旭熙; born 25 January 1999), known professionally as Lucas (), is a Hong Kong rapper signed under SM Entertainment. He is a member of the supergroup SuperM, and a former member of the South Korean boy group NCT and ...

, rapper, singer, and model. *

Jessica Henwick Jessica Yu-Li Henwick ( ;) is a British actress, writer, and director. She began her career in 2010 and is best known for her roles in ''Game of Thrones'' (2015–17), '' Iron Fist'' (2017–18), '' Love and Monsters'' (2020), ''Underwater (film ...

, actress, director and writer. * Ellen Wong, actress. * Aunty Ru, singer.

Notes

References and further reading

* Gia Lim Tan, "Origins," An Introduction to the Culture and History of the Teochews in Singapore," World Scientific, 2018.

External links

Gaginang, a teochew nonprofit organization

Singapore Teochew Federation for Businesses & Associations
{{DEFAULTSORT:Teochew People Subgroups of the Han Chinese Hong Kong people