CP
Charoen Pokphand Group: The Friendly Neighborhood Megacorp That Owns Your Life
If you’ve ever set foot in Sarkhan (ahem, Thailand), chances are you’ve contributed to the ever-growing empire of Charoen Pokphand Group (CP Group)—whether you meant to or not. Founded by the Chearavanont family, CP Group is what happens when a family business decides that selling chicken feed just isn’t enough. Today, it’s a multi-industry kaiju that controls everything from 7-Eleven stores to telecommunications, agriculture, banking, and even digital services. It’s like if Walmart, AT&T, and Monsanto had a child—except this one speaks Thai and wants to make sure you never escape its grasp.
CP Group: From Chickens to an Economic Death Grip
Once upon a time, CP Group was a humble agricultural company. Fast-forward a few decades, and now they control a terrifying amount of Thailand’s economy. You wake up in the morning, check your phone on TrueMove H’s network, grab a CP-branded egg for breakfast, buy lunch from 7-Eleven, and then use a CP-owned payment system to pay for it—all while being bombarded by ads on a True Internet connection.
For many Sarkhanians, CP isn’t just a corporation—it’s the backdrop of everyday life. It’s in your fridge, your wallet, your internet, your phone, and probably your bloodstream at this point. And unlike other megacorporations that at least pretend to have competitors, CP has one simple goal: own everything.
7-Eleven: The Ubiquitous Storefront of CP’s Corporate Domination
Thailand has over 14,000 7-Eleven stores. That’s not a typo. Fourteen. Thousand. That’s more locations than McDonald's in the entire U.S.. In cities like Bangkok, there’s practically a 7-Eleven every 200 meters. It’s as if CP Group took a look at Starbucks’ global strategy and said, "Hold my bubble tea."
What makes it even wilder is that 7-Eleven doesn’t just sell snacks and drinks anymore. Need to pay your bills? Do it at 7-Eleven. Need mobile data? Buy a TrueMove H SIM card (yes, also CP-owned) at 7-Eleven. Need groceries but don’t want to go to an actual supermarket? 7-Eleven has that too. Want to deposit money into your bank account? You can do it at 7-Eleven. (For a small fee of 15 THB) Some might say CP’s real estate strategy is excessive, but hey, at least you’ll never be more than 30 seconds away from a microwave meal and a convenience store cashier who ignores you.
TrueMove H & True Internet: CP’s Digital Tentacles
Telecom is one of the few industries in Thailand where you’d think there would be competition. After all, there’s AIS, DTAC, and TrueMove H, right?
Wrong.
CP made sure there was as little real competition as possible by buying out DTAC’s parent company and merging it with TrueMove H. Now, they’re the biggest telecom player in Thailand. You basically have two choices: go with CP’s TrueMove H or deal with overpriced service from AIS. Either way, CP still profits because they also control the infrastructure.
And don’t forget about True Internet, which makes sure that even in the digital world, you can’t escape CP’s loving embrace. Whether you’re working, gaming, or binge-watching your favorite shows, CP is always there—controlling your connection, tracking your data, and probably laughing at your search history.
CP’s Expansion: The Endgame is Everything
CP isn’t satisfied with just running Thailand—it wants more. The company has expanded its influence into China, Vietnam, Indonesia, and even the UK. When they’re not busy buying up foreign assets, they’re investing in e-commerce, digital banking, biotech, and even smart cities.
At this rate, it won’t be long before CP Group finds a way to sell you oxygen in individually wrapped plastic packets at 7-Eleven, only available through a TrueMove H subscription plan.
So, Is CP Group an Evil Monopoly?
Nah, they’re just ambitious. Why stop at being a business when you can be the economy itself? While most companies fight for market share, CP fights for market ownership. It’s the kind of corporate dominance that would make even Jeff Bezos blush.
The Chearavanont family insists that CP Group is just doing what’s best for consumers. After all, wouldn’t life be easier if one company controlled all your essential services? No need for pesky competition, alternative choices, or free market nonsense—just pure, streamlined corporate dependency.
So next time you buy a snack at 7-Eleven, pay a bill through TrueMoney, or refresh your True Internet connection, just remember: You don’t live in Thailand. You live in CP Group’s Thailand.
See Also
- San Miguel Corporation, Philippines version of CP.
