The family traces its origins to Tan Tsue Huang (陳慈黌, 1841–1920), of the Tan clan (陳, Chen in Mandarin), who arrived in Siam during the reign of King Mongkut (Rama IV, 1851–1868) and established a successful business during the second half of the nineteenth century.
He used overseas family networks to maintain trade routes with Canton, Hong Kong, Singapore and Saigon, and later expanded into rice milling and insurance.
His second son, Tan Lip Buay, inherited the business, which became one of Siam's largest rice millers and exporters by 1920.
[2][3] Today, the family's Wanglee House is recognized as an award-winning historic building.
The former port next door, which used to serve the family business, was renovated and opened as the cultural attraction Lhong 1919 in 2017.