Banthoon Lamsam was born on 15 January 1953, son of Bancha Lamsam and Thanphuying Sam-aungvarn Lamsam (maiden name Mom Rajawongse Sam-aungvarn Devakula; daughter of Prince Priditheppong Devakula and Mom Rajawongse Sa-ang Pramoj). Bantoon has two younger sisters. Bantoon is a grandson of Choti Lamsam who founded Kasikornbank in 1945 as Thai Farmers Bank. Banthoon graduated from Saint Gabriel’s College and Srinakharinwirot University Prasarnmit Demonstration School. He studied at Phillips Exeter Academy from 1967 to 1971 before going on to earn a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University and a masters of business administration (MBA) from Harvard Business School (HBS).

1977 Directorate of Joint Intelligence, Ministry of Defense

After graduation, he spent two years with the military’s Directorate of Joint Intelligence in the Ministry of Defence. In 1979, Banthoon joined Thai Farmers Bank (later changed to Kasikornbank) in the international banking department, where he was promoted to first vice president in 1986. In 1987 he moved to the domestic banking department as a senior vice president. In 1992, Banthoon was nominated president as of Thai Farmers Bank (TFB).

1979 International Banking Department, Thai Farmers Bank

1986 First Vice President, International Banking Department, Thai Farmers Bank

1987 Senior Vice President, Domestic Banking Department, Thai Farmers Bank

1990 First Senior Vice President, Thai Farmers Bank

After the 1997 Asian financial crisis (known as วิกฤตต้มยำกุ้ง, literally translated as Tom Yam Kung crisis), he was the first to introduce the term “reengineering” to Thailand’s banking industry. The Lamsam family became a minority shareholder of Kasikornbank. Banthoon Lamsam is an important contributor to the Democratic Party. Banthoon was skeptical of the country’s economic policies during Pol. Lt. Col Thaksin Shinawatra’s term as the prime minister of Thailand, and it was rumored that he had been approached by the Democratic Party for the position of the party leader in 2004.

In 2002, Banthoon became president and CEO of TFB. In 2003, he changed the logo and name of the bank from Thai Farmers Bank (TFB) to the current name, Kasikornbank (KBank), improvising Chinese characters style into the logo, “K”. In 2010, after Dr. Prasarn Trairatvorakul, then the president of KBank, left to become the Governor of the Bank of Thailand, Banthoon assumed the role of both president and CEO of KBank. He also instituted a senior executive position called “domain coordinator” and nominated four executive vice presidents to assume the positions of business domain, risk domain, infrastructure domain, and resource domain. Two of these executives later became the presidents of KBank and the other two became board directors.

2002 President and Chief Executive Officer, Thai Farmers Bank

2003 Best CEO 2003, Stock Exchange of Thailand Awards 2003

2010 Chief Executive Officer and President, KASIKORNBANK PLC

2010 THE QFC-ASIAN BANKER LEADERSHIP ACHIEVEMENT AWARD

2011 Asian Corporate Director Recognition Award 2011 by Corporate Gove

In May 2013, Banthoon published a 608-page novel, Sinaeha Montra Lanna, which he wrote in 13 months. The publisher printed 20,000 copies in the first two months.

2013 Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer, KASIKORNBANK PLC

2014 Business Person of the Year 2014 by Krungthep Turakij