His son Thapana is now the chief executive officer at ThaiBev and his daughter Wallapa is executive director of TCC Land, the property arm.

BBC: Thai whiskey tycoon Charoen takes over Fraser and Neave

They create twice as many jobs as companies that have limited Internet use, according to a McKinsey Global Institute study mentioned in the TCC report.

WSJ: Are Small, Tech-Savvy Firms Top U.S. Job Creators?

Mr Charoen runs ThaiBev and its parent company TCC in much the same way as Thailand's other Chinese tycoons - as a strictly family business.

BBC: Thai whiskey tycoon Charoen takes over Fraser and Neave

Technology makes young companies more competitive, TCC states in the report.

WSJ: Are Small, Tech-Savvy Firms Top U.S. Job Creators?

Catherine L. Mann, professor of global finance at Brandeis, says her research that appeared in the TCC report focuses on net job creation, rather than growth of individual companies.

WSJ: Are Small, Tech-Savvy Firms Top U.S. Job Creators?