Energy drink co-founder reportedly dies of natural causes
The world of energy drinks lost a trail blazer today with the death of Thai billionaire and Red Bull co-creator, Chaleo Yoovidhya. According to a Thai state television broadcaster Yoovidhya died of natural causes, the AP reports.
Yoovidhya is listed as the third richest man in Thailand and ranked 205th worldwide, with a net worth of $5 billion as of March, 2012, on Forbes.com. The site has his age listed as 80, but other reports of Yoovidhya’s death state he died at the age of 89.
In the 1970s, it was Yoovidhya’s T.C. Pharmaceuticals that created the energy drink’s prototype formula which became popular amongst Thai truck drivers and laborers, reported philly.com. And in 1984 an Australian partner helped to launch the product elsewhere.
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