World Terminal
World Petroleum
World Estate Development
Patavee Terminal
The “World Group” comprises a number of companies, including
World L.P.G. Group Company Limited, World Terminal Company Limited, World Petroleum Company Limited, World Estate Development Company Limited, and Patavee Terminal Company Limited. With over 50 years of experience and integrity, as well as passion to be the most promising enterprise in all products and services while maintaining a concern for safety and environment excellence.
History of World Gas Co., LTD.
(World L.P.G Group Co., LTD.)
When Mr. Pravit Viranuvat decided to discontinue his studies to support his parents in managing the family’s wooden shophouse near Soi Srimongkol; he began selling goods each day at different locations. Through the generosity of Mr. Poh Hong, he was allowed to use a small corner of Mr. Poh Hong’s shop as his selling space. One day, a devastating fire broke out in the Chonburi Market, completely destroying the area—including Mr. Poh Hong’s shop, where Mr. Pravit conducted his daily sales. After the market was rebuilt, the family was unable to return to trade there. Subsequently, Mr. Ngek Kia, Mr. Pravit’s father, leased a small shop approximately ten meters deep, located in front of the Chonburi City Property Market, to establish their own business. This became the family’s second home, earned entirely through the hard work and perseverance of his parents. It was there that Mr. Pravit Viranuvat’s entrepreneurial journey truly began.
During that time, Mr. Pravit observed that the small shophouse his father had leased was not being fully utilized, as only a small portion of the storefront was in use. He therefore decided to expand the business by selling plastic bags. Being an inventive and forward-thinking person, he soon realized that simply selling plastic bags would not lead to significant growth. He began to envision becoming a producer himself — establishing a small plastic bag manufacturing workshop. With this ambition, he visited various factories for inspiration: a Chinese sausage factory in Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) and a small pork sausage factory in the Ekkamai area. However, these dreams remained unfulfilled, as he lacked the necessary capital and anticipated that his father would not support such ventures. As a result, he had to set aside those ideas. Nevertheless, his determination to create something of his own never faded. He decided to purchase a songthaew (passenger pickup truck) on installment and hired a driver to operate it during the day. At night, after finishing his work helping his parents, he would drive the vehicle himself to earn extra income. Eventually, he had to sell the truck because the operation was not profitable and could not sustain itself. He then shifted his approach and purchased a sedan on installment, joining the Chonburi–Sattahip taxi queue. His first employee was Mr. Somkid Wesranurak, whom he supported throughout his life — providing him with a place to live and a monthly salary until his passing at the age of 88. When Mrs. Soi Kheng (his mother) learned that her son had purchased a car on installment, she gave him a sum of money to fully repay the debt, freeing him from further payments. That financial support became the first capital his mother ever provided him.
Mr. Pravit met Ms. Khanit through a group of friends during an annual trip. They became acquainted and remained friends for about three years before developing a mutual affection. Four years later, they were married. During those four years, Mr. Pravit began to seriously focus on building his own business. He became a local distributor for Sungas, a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) brand, operating in front of the Chonburi City Property Market. In 1970 (B.E. 2513), he established the brand “Pravit Gas,” marking the official beginning of his career in the gas trading business — a journey that would continue to grow from that point onward.
Mr. Pravit recalled,
“Before I became a distributor for Sungas, I had approached several other gas companies — Shell, Esso, and Caltex — but each already had an agent in Chonburi Province. The companies therefore could not appoint another distributor in the same area. Fortunately, by chance, I came across a new brand of gas owned by Mr. Sirichai Sarobol. I have always regarded him as a benefactor, for he was the one who gave me the opportunity that eventually led to the founding of ‘World Gas,’ a story to be told in the next chapter.”
In addition to his liquefied petroleum gas business, Mr. Pravit also rented an old wooden tapioca pellet factory in Noen Teng, with the aim of producing and delivering tapioca pellets to Bangkok. Although he had absolutely no prior knowledge or experience in tapioca production, his strong determination drove him to learn. He visited the factory of Mr. Sakchai Chutisuntrakul, a former schoolmate, to observe and study the production process. During that period, Mr. Pravit personally spent his days visiting and serving household gas customers, while at night, he would travel to the pellet factory to oversee operations. He assigned Mr. Somkid Wesranurak, who had previously worked as his driver, to manage the factory. The tapioca pellets had to be delivered regularly to middlemen in Bangkok, and Mr. Pravit would personally follow up on payments each time. At that point, Mr. Santi Viranuvat joined him as an important helping hand and a key driving force in the business.
Through great perseverance, Mr. Pravit worked tirelessly to establish the Sungas brand in the market, which at the time was completely unknown to consumers. To build trust and attract customers, he adopted a direct marketing approach by offering free home trials — delivering both the gas cylinder and stove for customers to use for seven days without any payment. If they were unsatisfied, he would willingly take everything back. The results were remarkable — nearly all customers chose to continue using the product. However, not long after his success began, tragedy struck when a second major fire broke out near the gas storage warehouse (the source of the fire was unrelated to his operations). The incident caused a total financial loss. Fortunately, the owner of Sungas offered generous support by suspending debt repayments and providing new gas supplies for sale as revolving capital, allowing the business to continue operating.
Around the same time, Mr. Pravit was appointed as the Eastern Region representative for the company’s promotional activities. He was responsible for distributing the Indian film “Seeta Aur Geeta” to local cinemas — a venture that generated a respectable profit. However, the subsequent release, “Phraen Phetkhat,” suffered heavy losses due to its unfortunate timing, coinciding with the screening of the popular film “Thong” (Gold).
Through his dedication to excellent service and unwavering honesty toward customers, the Sungas brand steadily expanded its market presence. In time, it became well-established and achieved the highest sales volume in Chonburi Province.
Mr. Pravit married on April 1, 1972. Six months after the birth of their first daughter, tragedy struck once again — a third fire broke out. The blaze originated from a nearby wooden shophouse, only three units away from his parents’ home. The incident left almost everything destroyed; however, it was considered a blessing that no one was injured. Having suffered through three major fires, Mr. Ngek Kia’s (his father’s) business was forced to close permanently. Determined to rebuild from nothing, Mr. Pravit began anew by leasing the adjoining shophouse units — including the one that had been burned — combining them into two connected units. He then constructed a three-story commercial building, establishing a new company under the name “Pravit Gas Limited Partnership.”
At that time, Chonburi Province was one of the largest areas for tapioca cultivation in Thailand. However, when the harvested cassava was processed into tapioca pellets and sold to middlemen, local producers were often exploited in pricing. After the pellets were packed into sacks and loaded onto ten-wheel trucks bound for Bangkok, the middlemen would cheat by weighing only a few sacks and then calculating the total payment based on an average weight, resulting in unfairly low compensation for the producers. Mr. Pravit was among those who refused to accept such dishonest trading practices. He joined forces with other tapioca traders in Chonburi to protest against the unfair system — and their efforts eventually succeeded. The group went on to formally register a company under the name “Chonburi Thai Tapioca Products Co., Ltd.”, and also established an association called the “Thai Tapioca Factory Association.” Mr. Pirom Nuengchamnong was appointed as the President of the association, while Mr. Pravit served as the Secretary-General. His active involvement and perseverance in this movement gave him valuable experience and a deeper understanding of the industry. Later, he partnered with four fellow tapioca traders to found N.S.P. Thai Tapioca Co., Ltd., with Mr. Pravit serving as Chairman of the Board. This marked his first venture into the export business, launched with only modest capital. During this challenging period, everyone had to work tirelessly to maintain cash flow, while at home, his wife and younger siblings helped manage the family’s gas business.
In the early years, the liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) market in Thailand was still in its early stages and far less developed than it is today. The country had only a few refineries — Summit, Esso, Thai Oil, and Shell. As Sungas did not have its own refinery, the company had to purchase gas from Shell’s refinery. During that period, the refinery-level gas suppliers were lobbying the government to increase LPG prices. When the government refused, they responded by restricting gas supply, resulting in a market shortage. Sungas, lacking its own production facilities, was severely affected when Shell reduced its gas quota as a form of pressure, since the price adjustment was not approved by the state. As a Sungas distributor, Pravit Gas suffered greatly from the shortage. There were times when Sungas could not deliver gas for as long as eleven consecutive days. Despite being the highest-selling distributor in Chonburi Province, Pravit Gas had no product to sell. Determined to keep his customers supplied, Mr. Pravit sought alternative sources. He managed to purchase gas from other companies that still supplied industrial factories, even though the prices were considerably higher. He did so to ensure that his household customers would not be left without gas — and, most importantly, to maintain their trust and loyalty.
At that stage, Mr. Pravit made a bold decision to establish the first gas-filling plant in Chonburi Province, located in the area that is now the World Villa housing project. The purpose was to refill liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders for household use from bulk gas purchased at industrial prices, which he transported himself. It was an extremely challenging time, marked by repeated hardships and financial strain. Yet, through the patience and perseverance of his entire family, they managed to sustain the business. Eventually, due to the ongoing pressure from the national gas shortage, Sungas and other distributors began importing gas from abroad under a new company called C.Petrot Co., Ltd., in which Mr. Pravit was a minor shareholder. During this period, Mr. Pravit began to envision owning his own gas brand. On June 12, 1979 (B.E. 2522), he officially registered the trademark “WORLD” under the energy business category. Soon after, he purchased land in Bangkok, along Bangna–Trat Road, to build a second gas-filling plant and established World Gas Co., Ltd., introducing gas cylinders under the brand name “World Gas.” At that time, C.Petrot Co., Ltd. did not yet have its own gas storage terminal, so imported gas had to be unloaded at the Royal Thai Navy port in Sattahip and then transported by tanker trucks to local filling plants. The import operations continued for some time until internal conflicts arose among the major shareholders of C.Petrot. As a result, Mr. Pravit became the first shareholder to withdraw from the company, though he continued purchasing gas from C.Petrot for a while. Eventually, the company ceased operations altogether — but this turning point marked the beginning of Mr. Pravit’s independent brand, “World Gas,” which would later become one of the most recognized names in Thailand’s energy sector.
In 1982 (B.E. 2525), after the tension in the national gas market began to ease, Mr. Pravit acquired a large plot of land along the Bang Pakong River under the name Pathavee Terminal Co., Ltd. The property, covering over 60 rai, included four tapioca warehouses intended for the storage of tapioca products for export. He also invested in the construction of a private port terminal, a gas storage facility, and the company’s first LPG tanker, which enabled him to import liquefied petroleum gas directly into Thailand for domestic distribution. World Gas Co., Ltd. was officially granted a Section 6 trading license by the Department of Commercial Registration, Ministry of Commerce — the highest and most significant form of trading license at the time. Only a few companies in Thailand were able to obtain this license, as it required a registered capital of no less than 50 million baht, as well as a legally approved gas storage terminal and an annual trading volume of at least 100,000 tons. Complying fully with these conditions, the company completed the construction of its gas terminal in 1983 (B.E. 2526). From its strong foundation in Chonburi, the core market of World Gas in the eastern region, the company expanded into Bangkok and central Thailand, and later into other regions nationwide. Trading under a Section 6 license was extremely competitive. It required not only substantial capital investment but also constant efforts to secure and maintain market share. Many companies eventually had their licenses revoked for failing to meet the regulatory requirements. World Gas, however, remained among the few that continued to stand firm and thrive. Mr. Pravit continued to drive the company’s dual growth strategy — importing LPG and exporting tapioca — leading the business to reach an impressive billion-baht turnover within just a few years. In 1985 (B.E. 2528), he further expanded by investing in the construction of a fuel terminal with a total capacity of approximately 17 million liters, and acquired two oil tankers to import petroleum from overseas. His goal was to penetrate the eastern region’s fuel market, and operations initially ran smoothly for six to seven years. However, the business later faced challenges when illegal oil imports began flooding the market, driving prices down and making competition unsustainable due to higher operating costs.
Consequently, the oil trading venture was discontinued. Nevertheless, the gas business continued to expand relentlessly. World Gas established dozens of filling plants across multiple provinces throughout Thailand. Yet, the LPG industry in Thailand was unlike those of neighboring countries — where prices were higher and market conditions more favorable. In Thailand, companies were often forced to sell below production cost, awaiting delayed government subsidies while operating with very low marketing margins. These challenges caused many operators to fail and eventually surrender their trading licenses to the Ministry of Commerce. World Gas, through its perseverance and sound management, remained among the few that continued to stand strong and grow amid these difficult circumstances.
In 1995, a major international energy company from the Netherlands, SHV Energy — which is also the parent company of Makro, one of Thailand’s largest consumer goods retail chains — expressed interest in investing in Thailand’s liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) industry. After conducting a detailed feasibility study, SHV Energy chose to form a joint venture with Mr. Pravit, recognizing that he already owned substantial gas storage terminals and bottling plants built on privately owned land — a strong foundation for long-term cooperation. To strengthen mutual confidence and understanding, SHV Energy invited Mr. Pravit to visit several of its operations across various European countries, showcasing the company’s expertise, technology, and management systems prior to finalizing the partnership.
On April 22, 1996, a joint venture agreement was officially established between Mr. Pravit Viranuvat and SHV Energy, under the name World Gas (Thailand) Co., Ltd. In this partnership, Mr. Pravit served as the Chairman of the Board, while operational management and domestic marketing were overseen by the joint venture team. Meanwhile, the original company, World Gas Co., Ltd., was renamed World L.P.G. Group Co., Ltd., which focused primarily on exporting LPG to international markets across Asia, including Singapore, Cambodia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, South Korea, China, and India.
As the nature of business gradually shifted toward international trade, Mr. Pravit expanded his investments by increasing the company’s fleet to support overseas transportation. The domestic fleet primarily served PTT (Petroleum Authority of Thailand) for inland LPG deliveries. Through this expansion, Mr. Pravit not only strengthened the company’s logistics capability but also created steady employment and income opportunities for many people over the years. Guided by his vision to uphold international service standards in maritime operations, particularly for cross-border transportation, he established World Wide Transport Co., Ltd., a subsidiary under the World Group. The company manages the fleet and has been certified with the International Safety Management (ISM) Code by Class NK (Nippon Kaiji Kyokai), Japan, as well as the ISO 9001:2000 quality management certification from Lloyd’s Register — affirming its commitment to global standards of safety and operational excellence.
Any business that proved unsustainable or unworthy of further investment, Mr. Pravit chose to discontinue without hesitation. As for World Gas (Thailand) Co., Ltd., the SHV Energy Group eventually decided to withdraw from the Thai market, citing the government’s lack of clarity in pricing policy. The company was subsequently sold to Picnic Corporation Public Company Limited, which continued its operations thereafter.
Throughout nearly five decades, Mr. Pravit devoted his energy, perseverance, and intellect to building his enterprises through his own capability and determination. Yet, he always believed that true business success does not come solely from intelligence or skill. The most essential foundation, he often emphasized, is to remain steadfast in one’s moral principles and integrity.
