[6] The group's origin dates back to 1948 when Thanpuying Chanut Piyaoui, opened her first hotel, the "Princess" in Bangkok.

The company takes its name and much of its character from the ideas of King Rama VI, whose thoughts on the modern state blended Western and Thai influences.

[8] In 1918, he created a utopian miniature city near Lumpini Park and named it Dusit Thani meaning "town in heaven".

The rebuilt hotel will open as part of a 36.7 billion baht mixed-use project to be built in partnership with Central Pattana PLC.

[11] When an entirely new Dusit Thani reopens its doors after a three-four year construction period, it will be taller but with fewer rooms – about 300 compared with the current 510.

The issue has been protested widely in the Philippines especially with the International Labour Organization's findings that the Philippine government and the Supreme Court violated the workers' right to freedom of expression and association and redefined the meaning of strike.

The group's other business are hotel management of both Thai and overseas properties, and education, through the Dusit Thani College and a Bangkok culinary school joint venture with Le Cordon Bleu of France.

[25] In August 2007, the Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School opened, making it the first of its kind in the Southeast Asian region.

[28] In April 2018, Dusit International introduced a new mid-market brand called ASAI Hotels[29] As of 2019, Dusit International has 36 properties in Thailand, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, United States, China, Bhutan, Maldives, Philippines, Vietnam, Egypt and Kenya.