The successive two-time SEA Games gold medallists received the first round bye yesterday. In the second round, the Thai duo put in a solid performance to beat New Zealand A's Stovold siblings, Hayley and Justine, 21-12 and 21-13.

The Thais continued their impressive run in the third round when they showed no mercy to Aussies Joanna Healy and Heike Jensen 21-10 and 21-16 to book their place in today's fourth round.

"Our good communication and teamwork helped us win both matches," said Kamolthip, who partnered Usa Tenpaksee to win last year's Asian Tour in Trang and the Asian Championship in Songkhla. Today, Kamolthip and Jarunee take on Japan B's Shinako Tanaka and Eiko Koizumi, who captured Japan's first-ever international beach volleyball victory at the last year's Women's Challenger in Phuket.

"I'm not sure we can beat them. They are a strong team and have more experience of international events and they also beat us in Phuket last year," she added.

Another Thai pairing, Yupa Phukrongploy and Usa Tenpaksee, the silver medallists at last year's SEA Games in the Philippines, also performed well to trounce Gina Indri Andriyana and Minarni of Indonesia 21-7 and 21-3.

Thai rising stars Supannee Doksantia and Nonglak Khorsoongnoen also registered a victory on the opening day of the three-day event by defeating Kazakhstan B's Valeria Dirr and Lyudmila Issayeva 21-8 and 21-4.

Meanwhile, Taweep Thongkamnerd and Montri Cheamnoi stunned the SEA Games bronze medallists Sonthi Bunrueng and Borworn Yungthin 21-15 and 21-16 in the all-Thai second round in the men's competition. Team-mates Sitthichai Sangkhachot and Artit Wongtorn, silver medallists at this year's Asian Juniors U-20 Championships in Chaiyaphum, beat GB Dhammika Rohon and MS Mahesh Perera from Sri Lanka in straight sets in the first round. However, shortly afterwards they were defeated by top seeds Andy Ardiyansyah and Koko Prasetyo Darkkuncoro from Indonesia 10-21 and 19-21.

In the afternoon session, Sitthichai and Artit avenged their loss with the victory over Chanprasit Ounaphom and Phonesavvanh Nithsavathvong from Laos in straight sets but went down tamely to Sonthi and Borworn 16-21 and 19-21 in an all-Thai affair. With two losses in the double-elimination event, the Sitthichai-Artit pairing crashed out of the tournament.

Somporn Suphop

The Nation

Phatthalung