Activities

Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui – an inspiration to us all

In loving memory of Dusit's founder and leading pioneer of Thailand's hospitality industry.

On Sunday 3 May 2020 we lost a legend.

Dusit's founder, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, peacefully passed away at the age of 99 after a life well and truly lived.

Our thoughts and hearts are with Khun Chanin, Khun Sinee and their families as they mourn the loss yet celebrate the life of this truly remarkable lady whose loving heart, caring spirit, and unique vision for Thai hospitality form the very foundations of everything that Dusit does.

Nicknamed by the media as the ‘Iron Butterfly' of Thailand for her unique strength of character, Thanpuying Chanut will forever be remembered as one of the nation's most respected businesswomen, a leading pioneer of its hospitality industry, and a highly respected mother figure for us all.

The fact that she singlehandedly established her own company in 1948, opened her first hotel, The Princess, in 1949, went on to open the five-star Dusit Thani Bangkok, in 1970, and then took Thai hospitality globally, are all testament to her sheer determination to always work with passion and purpose for the betterment of others, no matter how many challenges she faced.

Back when Thanpuying Chanut was starting out, Thailand was very much a male-dominated society. Women entrepreneurs were scarce. And women just didn't open hotels. But Thanpuying Chanut did.

Inspired by the hotels she had visited while studying in the United States, Thanpuying Chanut believed that Thailand could one day become a successful and thriving tourist destination. And she believed the best way to foster this growth would be by opening hotels that offered international standards of service, but which also distinguished themselves by placing Thai-inspired gracious hospitality at their core. She had the passion, drive, and can-do attitude to create these hotels herself. And, in doing so, she forever changed Thailand's hospitality landscape and helped to put the kingdom on the map as a must-visit tourist destination.

In line with her philosophy to be bold and do great things, to create things that never existed before, and to always conduct business with honour, Thanpuying Chanut never set out simply to make money. She made it her mission to always put people and community first.

As she expanded Dusit's business throughout Thailand and internationally, she would always help to promote tourism in each location by working hard to gain government support for the development of important infrastructure. And she made it clear that Dusit's operations must always have a positive local impact, wherever we are in the world.

To ensure the sustainable development of Thailand's tourism and hospitality industry overall, she also initiated Dusit's expansion into hospitality education, with the opening of the Dusit Thani College, in 1993. "If Thailand is to be among the world's leaders in the hotel and hospitality industry," she had said, "the education and training of staff will always be of the highest importance." Thus Dusit became the first Thai company to build a school for the industry at large.

In recognition of Ms Chanut's significant contribution to Thailand's hospitality industry, on 5 May 2000, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great conferred upon Ms Chanut the highest royal decoration for a civilian: Knight Grand Commander (Second Class, Higher Grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao. And with this, this right to bear the title ‘Thanpuying,' the equivalent of ‘Dame.'

In further recognition of her efforts, in February 2018 she also received the prestigious SHTM Lifetime Achievement Award from the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM) of The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. The award honours outstanding figures who have contributed substantially to the development of hospitality and tourism worldwide.

Though Dusit's esteemed founder now may be gone, her wonderfully caring spirit, holistic approach to business, and distinctive vision to uniquely deliver Thai-inspired gracious hospitality to the world will continue to inform everything that Dusit does, and inspire us to reach greater heights together.

She is truly an inspiration to us all, and, through all of us here at Dusit, her legacy will live on.

A lifetime of achievements
1921
Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui is born.
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1948
Thanpuying Chanut establishes her company and begins building her first hotel.
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1949
Thanpuying Chanut opens Bangkok's first modern hotel with a swimming pool, The Princess, where she experiments with offering luxury hospitality with a distinct Thai touch. The property's grand opening was graciously presided over by Her Majesty Queen Rambhai Barni, the wife and Queen of King Prachadhipok or King Rama VII, and Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana. In an honoured custom for Dusit, Princess Galyani would go on to preside over the opening of many of the company's later developments.
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1970
Dusit Thani Bangkok opens as the tallest, grandest hotel in Bangkok, debuting Dusit's unique brand of Thai-inspired gracious hospitality at its core. The hotel changes Thailand's hospitality landscape forever and ushers in a new era of tourism for the country. Building on the success of the property, Thanpuying Chanut then begins overseeing Dusit's expansion from domestic hotelier to a multinational hospitality company with luxury properties worldwide.
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1975
In line with Thanpuying Chanut's mission to always take good care of the interests of all stakeholders, Dusit becomes one of the first companies to be listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
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1987-1990
Dusit expands into resort development, opening the first Thai operated resort in Thailand – Dusit Laguna Resort (now Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket)in 1987. Dusit Thani Pattaya opens in 1988, Royal Princess Larn Luang in 1989, and Dusit Thani Hua Hin in 1990.
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1993
Determined to provide quality education for the hospitality sector at large, Thanpuying Chanut opens Dusit Thani School in Bangkok. Upgraded and transformed to Dusit Thani College in 2006, it becomes the first institution of its kind to gain recognition from the Thai Ministry of Education.
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1995
The upper midscale Dusit Princess brand is introduced. Royal Princess Chiang Mai (now Dusit Princess Chiang Mai) and Dusit Island Resort Chiang Rai open.
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1997
Dusit Princess Srinakarin Bangkok opens. Thanpuying Chanut also opens Dusit's first hotel in the Philippines, in Manila.
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2000
In recognition of Ms Chanut's significant contribution to Thailand's hospitality industry, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Greatconfers upon her the highest royal decoration for a civilian: Knight Grand Commander (Second Class, Higher Grade) of the Most Illustrious Order of Chula Chom Klao. And with this, this right to bear the title ‘Thanpuying,' the equivalent of ‘Dame.'
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2001
Dusit opens its first hotel in the Middle East, in Dubai. Devarana Spa is launched in Bangkok to tap into the luxury spa market.
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2006
The upscale dusitD2 brand is launched with the opening of dusitD2 Chiang Mai.
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2007
The Dusit Devarana brand, a significant luxury offering, is launched. Dusit partners with Le Cordon Bleu to open Le Cordon Bleu by Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok.
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2009
Dusit Thani College establishes the hospitality curriculum for Lyceum of the Philippines University.
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2010
Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo opens in Egypt.
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2011
Dusit Thani College opens its Pattaya Campus.
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2012
Dusit Thani Maldives opens on Mudhdhoo Island. Dusit Thani College signs an academic affiliation agreement with Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL) to offer degree programmes accredited by the institute.
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2013
Dusit Fudu Management Co., Ltd. – a hotel management joint venture between Dusit and China-based Changzhou Qiao Yu Group – is established. The first Dusit-branded hotel in China, dusitD2 Fudu Binhu, opens in July of the same year.
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2014
Thanpuying Chanut retires from the position of managing director, handing it over to her son, Khun Chanin Donavanik. She takes on the role of honorary chairman.