Chi Owyang

Chi Owyang (12 November 1897 – 25 November 1988) was a banker, and was Singapore's ambassador to Thailand for 17 years, becoming the country's longest serving ambassador.

Early life and education Owyang was born in 1897 in Chaozhou, Guandong Province, China, and spent his childhood in Thailand. He was brought to Bangkok, when he was one year old by his parents, his mother being Thai of Chinese descent. His father operated a small trading business and owned a small wharf at Songwad, alongside the Chao Phraya River. After his father died in 1906 he was sent to become a novice at Wat Bopitpimook, and later joined the Chinese school in Rajawong.

In 1914, his mother decided to send him to China for further education using all her meagre savings, and he went to Swatow, Guangdong Province, where he enrolled at the Anglo-Chinese School. After completing his high school education he went to Fudan University, Shanghai, and in 1921 graduated with a B.A. in commerce and banking, becoming the first student from Thailand to graduate from China. The bank specialised in financing of the rice trade between Thailand and Singapore and the business was a great success, financing 80% of the rice imports to Singapore by the mid-1950s.

Personal life and death Chi Owyang married a teacher, the daughter of a Chinese government official, in 1927 and they had six sons and a daughter.

In November, 1988 he was admitted to St Louis Hospital, Bangkok suffering from pneumonia, having resigned as ambassador in February, and died on 25 November 1988, aged 91.