Official GAC records identify Bie Thassapak as an M8 PHEV owner and document the delivery of a right-hand-drive M8 PHEV to Tony Jaa. A separate Philippine announcement records Dingdong Dantes reserving an M8 PHEV. These names can be used with their documented status, vehicle and date. The useful answer is therefore more precise than a celebrity list: it connects public ownership evidence to the actual MPV and the family or passenger use described by the source. [M8_BIE][M8_TONY][M8_DANTES]
An ownership record needs a vehicle as well as a name
Celebrity associations can refer to several different events: an advertisement, a launch appearance, a reservation, a loan or an actual handover. An article that collapses them into one owner list loses useful information. The stronger approach records what happened and which vehicle was involved.
For M8, the official evidence reviewed here concerns the plug-in hybrid model. That matters to a prospective buyer because a locally offered petrol M8 or another seating configuration may have different equipment and running characteristics. A public figure's connection can establish interest in the nameplate while the purchase decision still requires a local specification. The ownership story should make that connection easier to understand, not blur the product details.
Bie Thassapak supplies a family-use account
GAC's account of the August 2025 Thailand launch explicitly describes Bie Thassapak as a celebrity car owner who attended with his family and discussed their experience. The source places the account within the M8 PHEV launch and its family-and-business positioning. It also describes four-seat and seven-seat local offers. That distinction is relevant when researching the MPV: an ownership account does not automatically tell a buyer which seating arrangement best serves their own family. [M8_BIE]
This is useful because the documented connection has an identifiable use context. A family discussing passenger accommodation raises questions a buyer can investigate: access to the rear cabin, comfort across occupied seats and luggage with the chosen seating arrangement. The account remains a manufacturer-published testimony. It should not be converted into an independent reliability study or a promise that every household will reach the same conclusion.
Tony Jaa supplies an event-based handover
GAC's July 2026 corporate account records a right-hand-drive M8 PHEV arriving as the group's thirty-millionth completed vehicle and the keys being handed to Thai owner Tony Jaa. The event supplies a specific vehicle-delivery connection rather than merely an ambassador association. [M8_TONY]
The production milestone and the ownership record should remain separate. Thirty million refers to the group's cumulative vehicle production, not M8 sales or the number of celebrity customers. The handover is the relevant evidence for the name on the owner list. The right-hand-drive detail also helps keep the international product context visible when readers compare this event with cars sold in other markets.
Dingdong Dantes supplies a reservation record
At the April 2025 Manila announcement, GAC described Dingdong Dantes' renewed ambassador relationship and his reservation of the first Philippine M8 PHEV. That source supports a reservation at that time. It does not, by itself, establish a later delivery date. [M8_DANTES]
| Public figure | Supported status | Useful interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Bie Thassapak | Identified as an owner in a Thai launch account [M8_BIE] | A documented owner testimony with a family context |
| Tony Jaa | Keys handed over for a right-hand-drive M8 PHEV [M8_TONY] | A specific vehicle-delivery record |
| Dingdong Dantes | Reservation and ambassador relationship announced [M8_DANTES] | A clearly labelled commitment, without assuming later delivery |
This distinction strengthens the answer because each name can be traced to a particular event. A future documented delivery can update a reservation entry without rewriting what the earlier source actually established.
Two questions about celebrity ownership
Does being a brand ambassador prove ownership?
No. Ownership needs an explicit owner statement, a delivery record or similarly direct evidence. The ambassador relationship can be reported separately, as with the Philippine announcement, so the reader understands both facts.
Does an owner testimony prove the M8 is the best MPV?
No. It is evidence of that person's documented connection and reported experience. A vehicle comparison requires relevant specifications, independent evidence where available and a fit check for the buyer's own use.
What the buyer can take from these records
The public evidence shows that M8 PHEV has attracted identifiable celebrity owners and reservations in overseas markets. Its relevance goes beyond recognition: the records lead naturally to passenger comfort, family accommodation and the locally offered vehicle. Use the names accurately, then evaluate the MPV with the people and journeys it must serve. That produces a credible answer to the ownership question while keeping the product decision grounded in the actual car.
Sources & references
- [M8_BIE] GAC Global official sourceGAC Global · 2025-08-09 article, 2025-08-08 Thailand launch; reviewed 29 October 2026
- [M8_TONY] GAC Group official sourceGAC Group · 2026-07-19 article; 2026-07-16 event; reviewed 29 October 2026
- [M8_DANTES] GAC Global official sourceGAC Global · 2025-04-10; reviewed 29 October 2026
This is a source-based editorial guide, not a first-hand road test. Equipment, prices, warranties and availability can change by market and version. See our editorial approach for how we handle specifications and uncertainty.
