Proud of our Thai heritage, uniquely delivering gracious hospitality to the world.
Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui
Founder
Building sustainably on the value of our past
Drawing on more than 70 years of experience in the hotel and hospitality industry, Dusit can trace its origins back to 1948, when Founder and Honorary Chairperson Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui began working on her first hotel, the Princess, which opened on Bangkok’s Charoenkrung Road in 1949.
The pioneering property was one of the first hotels in the city to offer a swimming pool, air conditioning, and modern amenities. It was also the first property to reflect Thanpuying Chanut’s vision to deliver international standards of service blended with time-honoured Thai customs and traditions.
Thanpuying Chanut had always firmly believed in Thailand’s potential to become one of the world’s most successful tourist destinations, and she believed the best way to foster this growth would be through distinctive hotels that embraced gracious Thai hospitality at their core.
Her guiding philosophy was thus: to be bold and do great things, to create things that never existed before, to pursue perfection, and to always conduct business with honour. She was also determined to lead the way and lay the foundations for other hospitality companies to follow.
Her formula for success was perfected in 1970 with the opening of our flagship hotel, Dusit Thani Bangkok. This revolutionary property uniquely elevated Thai hospitality to international standards and proudly stood as the city’s tallest edifice; an icon of luxury admired by discerning travellers from all corners of the globe.
Setting the standards by which all other luxury hotels in Bangkok would be measured, Dusit Thani Bangkok successfully laid the groundwork for our company’s subsequent expansion within Thailand and overseas. It also gave Thanpuying Chanut the perfect opportunity to achieve her dream of offering hospitality education by opening her own specialised college.
The hotel also gave our company our official name - Dusit Thani - which, translated from Thai, means ‘Town in Heaven’ (In Thai beliefs, Dusit is the name for the fourth of the seven levels of paradise). The name also references a model utopia constructed by His Majesty King Rama VI in 1918, which demonstrated a harmony between Thai and western values. The Thai-inspired, gracious hospitality delivered at our hotels and resorts worldwide is also testament to this harmony.
Today, we delighted to say that the guiding philosophy of our founder has seen us grow from a pioneering hotel company into a leading provider of hospitality services across five distinct business units – namely Hotels & Resorts, Dusit Foods, Dusit Hospitality Education, Property Development, and Hospitality-related services.
Each of these business units is designed to leverage our strengths in operating full-service hotels and ultimately build on the value of our past in innovative ways.
In fact, no matter where we are in the world, and no matter what line of business we are involved in, the guiding principles of our founder will always be integral to our operations as we continue to balance, expand and diversify our offerings with a view to generate sustainable value for all our stakeholders.
Our Identity
The guiding philosophy was thus: to be bold and do great things, to create things that never existed before, to pursue perfection, and to always conduct business with honour.
Key Company Milestones
1948 - 2001
Brand established in Thailand
1948 - 2001
Brand established in Thailand
1948
Dusit's founder, Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, founded the company and opened her first hotel, the Princess, in 1949 on Bangkok's Charoenkrung Road. 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.
1970
Dusit Thani Bangkok opens as the tallest, grandest building in the city. An instant icon, it ushers in a whole new generation of properties in Bangkok. The property's grand opening was graciously presided over by Queen Rambhai Barni of King Rama VII and Her Royal Highness Princess Galyani Vadhana.
1975
Dusit Thani Public Company Limited (Dusit International) becomes one of the first Thai companies to be listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand.
1987
Dusit expands into resort development, opening the first Thai operated resort in Thailand - Dusit Laguna Resort (now Dusit Thani Laguna Phuket).
1988
Dusit Thani Pattaya opens.
1989
Royal Princess Larn Luang hotel opens.
1990
Dusit Resort and Polo Club, presently Dusit Thani Hua Hin, opens.
1993
Determined to provide quality education for the hospitality sector, 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.
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.
1996
Dusit Princess Srinakarin Bangkok opens.
1997
Dusit ventures overseas, acquiring the Hotel Nikko Manila. In 2008, after major renovations, the hotel relaunches as Dusit Thani Manila.
2000
For our founder's services to tourism in Thailand, His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Great confers 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.
2001
Dusit enters the Middle East with the opening of Dusit Thani Dubai. Devarana Spa is launched in Bangkok to tap into the luxury spa market.
2001 - 2016
Asset-light expansion overseas
2001 - 2016
Asset-light expansion overseas
2006
The upscale dusitD2 brand is launched with the opening of dusitD2 Chiang Mai.
2007
- Dusit partners with Le Cordon Bleu to open Le Cordon Bleu by Dusit Culinary School in Bangkok.
- The Dusit Devarana brand, a significant luxury offering, is launched.
2009
Dusit Thani College establishes the hospitality curriculum for Lyceum of the Philippines University.
2010
Dusit Thani LakeView Cairo opens in Egypt.
2011
Dusit Thani College opens its Pattaya Campus.
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.
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.
- Dusit Thani Abu Dhabi opens.
2014
Hotel openings include dusitD2 Nairobi in Kenya, and Dusit Devarana Hot Springs & Spa Conghua, Guangzhou, in China.
2015
Dusit Thani Guam and Dusit Thani Beach Resort, Krabi open.
2016 - ongoing
Balance, expansion and diversification
2016 - ongoing
Balance, expansion and diversification
2016
- Khun Suphajee Suthumpun joins Dusit as Group CEO. It is the first time someone outside of the founding family has been appointed to lead the company. The company begins strengthening its foundations and launches a new three-pronged strategy for sustainable and profitable growth - balance, expansion and diversification.
- Four new hotels open, including DusitD2 Khao Yai, Thailand; dusitD2 Kenz Dubai; Dusit Thani Dongtai, Jiangsu, China; and Dusit Thani Fudu Qingfeng, Changzhou, China.
- Dusit Thani College signs an academic affiliation agreement with Institut Paul Bocuse (IPB).
2017
- Dusit signs an agreement with Central Pattana PCL to develop a landmark mixed-use project in the heart of Bangkok, which will also include the redevelopment of the flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel. New subsidiaries are established for the development: Vimarn Suriya Co., Ltd., Suanlum Property Co., Ltd, Phraram 4 Development Co., Ltd., and Saladang Property Management Co., Ltd.
- Dusit enters the sharing economy with an investment in Favstay, an online marketplace and hospitality service brokerage company in Southeast Asia and Japan.
- Dusit Education is rebranded as Dusit Hospitality Education.
- Dusit Princess Korat resort is divested in line with the company’s strategy.
- Dusit Thani Freehold and Leasehold Property Fund (DTCPF) is converted to Dusit Thani Freehold and Leasehold Real Estate Investment Trust (DREIT).
2018
- New hotel openings include Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort, Phu Quoc Vietnam; dusitD2 Ao Nang Resort, Krabi, Thailand; dusitD2 Yarkay, Thimphu, Bhutan; Heritage Villas Zhouzhuang Managed by Dusit, Jiangsu, China.
- ASAI Hotels, Dusit’s new lean-luxury brand for millennial-minded travellers, is officially unveiled to the public.
- DTEC (Dusit Thani Excellence Centre) opens on Bangkok’s Phetchaburi Road.
- Dusit establishes Dusit Foods Co Ltd. and diversifies into the food business with an investment in NR Instant Produce (NRF), a well-known producer and exporter of ready-to-cook, ready meals, seasoning powders, dipping sauces, drinks and juices.
- Dusit enters the villa rental market by acquiring LVM Holdings Pte Ltd. the ultimate holding company of Elite Havens, which is engaged in the business of marketing, booking and full-service management of luxury villas under the Elite Havens brand throughout Southeast Asia.
2019
- The flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel temporarily closes for major redevelopment as part of Dusit Central Park, a landmark mixed-use project designed to elevate Dusit’s standing on the world stage. The name of the project is officially revealed to the public at a grand event held at the hotel.
- Dusit invests in Epicure Catering Co., Ltd., a market leader in the education catering business providing high-quality food services to international schools in Southeast Asia.
- New hotel openings include Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu, Philippines; dusitD2 Davao, Philippines; Dusit Thani Residence Davao, Philippines; Dusit Suites Hotel Ratchadamri, Bangkok, Thailand; dusitD2 The Fort Manila, Philippines; and Dusit Thani Wujin Changzhou, China.
- Dusit Hospitality Management College, Dusit’s first college outside of Thailand, opens in Manila. The pioneering institution is fully-integrated with the dusitD2 The Fort Manila hotel.
- Dusit Foods partners with world-renowned Australian chef David Thompson to produce Khong Thai, a premium instant food brand targeted mainly at international markets.
- Dusit Hospitality Services is launched to leverage Dusit’s rich experience in banqueting, housekeeping, engineering, and pre-opening hotels. Business units under the division include Dusit Events, Dusit on Demand, and Pre-opening Services.
- Dusit opens its first standalone restaurant concept, Baan Dusit Thani, in Bangkok. The concept features three re-imagined signature restaurants from the flagship Dusit Thani Bangkok hotel - Benjarong Thai Restaurant, Thien Duong Vietnamese Restaurant, and Dusit Gourmet.
- Dusit Foods enters into a 51:49 joint venture with South Africa’s Real Foods Group to bring its popular healthy fast-casual restaurant concept, Kauai, to Southeast Asia, under the Thai brand name, Real Foods. The first store opens at Virgin Active Fitness Club 101 The Third Place in Bangkok.
- Dusit signs an agreement with Origin Property to develop The Hampton Sriracha by Origin and Dusit, a high-end condominium project worth THB 1.4 billion in Sri Racha district of Chonburi province, eastern Thailand.
2020
- ASAI Bangkok Chinatown, the first hotel under the ASAI Hotels brand, opens in Bangkok’s vibrant Chinatown district.
- Epicure Catering acquires business in Vietnam.
Seven hotels open under Hotel Management Agreements:
- dusitD2 Salwa, Doha, Qatar
- Dusit Beach Resort Guam, Guam, USA
- Dusit Thani Wellness Resort, Suzhou, China
- ASAI Chinatown Bangkok, Thailand
- Dusit Thani Laguna Singapore
- Plus two white label properties
2021
- Dusit Fudu forms strategic partnership with Paxton Vacances Hotel Management Group to operate and develop Dusit Princess Hotels and Resorts in China
- Revised CAPEX of the Dusit Central Park Project. Total project value increases to THB 46 billion.
- New group-wide wellness concept, Devarana Wellness, launches with the vision to deliver well-being experiences beyond Dusit’s traditional spa offerings.
- The first standalone KAUAI branch in Bangkok opens at Asoke Towers.
Four hotels open under Hotel Management Agreements:
- dusitD2 Hua Hin, Thailand
- dusitD2 Naseem Resort, Jabal Akhdar, Oman
- Plus two white label properties in Thailand and USA (Guam)
- Dusit partners with leading educational and culinary institutes to develop Thailand’s first academy of gastronomy with business incubation facilities - The Food School - slated to open in 2023.
- Dusit enters a strategic partnership agreement with Ananda Development PCL for Ananda's upcoming luxury residential project in Bangkok - COCO Parc Managed by Dusit Hospitality Services.
2022
- Opened Dusit Hotel & Suite - Doha in Qatar and Dusit Thani Tianmu Mountain in China
- Opened Thailand’s first academy of gastronomy with business incubation facilities - The Food School
- Invested in Port Royal and Bonjour Bakery Asia
- Partnered with PTT Oil and Retail Business (OR)/Modulus in Dusit Foods
2023
- Opened ten hotels, including Dusit Suites Athens; ASAI Kyoto Shijo; Dusit Thani Kyoto; Dusit Thani Himalayan Resort Dhulikhel; Dusit Princess Kathmandu; Dusit Princess Hotel Residences Nairobi; Dusit Thani Mogan Mountain, Huzhou; ASAI Bangkok Sathorn; dusitD2 Samyan Bangkok; and Dusit Princess Phatthalung. New destinations included Greece, Japan, and Nepal.
- Introduced one new brand, Dusit Collection, and strategically rebranded Devarana as Devarana - Dusit Retreats.
- Launched new group-wide sustainability programme, ‘Tree of Life.’
- Dusit Foods set up new JV, Savor Eats - a central kitchen and cloud dispensing network.
