HONG KONG/KUALA LUMPUR (Dec 27): The Thailand and Malaysian operations of Britain’s largest supermarket chain Tesco Plc are on the shopping lists of Thai tycoons.

Thai billionaire Dhanin Chearavanont’s Charoen Pokphand Group and Central Group, controlled by Chirathivat family, are among companies that are weighing bids for the Southeast Asian business that could fetch more than US$7 billion, according to people with knowledge of the matter.