The Kingdom's team, without star player Tamarine Tanasugarn, is likely to have a difficult time against the home side, which features world No-17 glamour girl Daniela Hantuchova.

The tie will start with the singles clash between Hantuchova and Montinee Tangphong, ranked 286 places below her. Then Suchanan Viratprasert, No 214, will play Magdalena Rybarikova, No 221, according to the draw, the ceremony for which was held yesterday. Today's programme starts at 9pm Bangkok time.

In tomorrow's matches, which begin two hours earlier, Suchanan will play the Slovak No 1 and then Monthinee will meet Rybarikova. The tie will end with the doubles between Nudnida Luangnam and Thassha Vitayaviroj and Hantuchova and Janette Husarova.

The first team to win three rubbers will maintain their status in World Group II next year while the losers will be relegated to the qualifying zone.

Last year Thailand, spearheaded by Tamarine, trounced the European side 4-1 at this stage of the Fed Cup at Bangkok University's Rangsit Campus.

Meanwhile in Ostend, Belgium, US Open champion Kim Clijsters will lead Belgium against an understrength United States team in this weekend's Fed Cup semi-finals.

The US team is missing Venus and Serena Williams and Lindsay Davenport, while French Open champion Justine Henin-Hardenne was a late withdrawal from the Belgian squad.

It leaves the second-ranked Clijsters as the only top 50 player in a tie which had been seen as the toughest of the two semi-finals. Italy play Spain in the other weekend match.

Instead of clay, where the Belgians would certainly be favoured, the tie is played on hardcourt at the Sea'rena in the North Sea port of Ostend. Clijsters was among those pushing for the unlikely surface, considering the upcoming series in the United States.

"I was very shocked," US captain Zina Garrison said. "I just knew we were going to be playing on clay, but it makes sense to be playing on a hard court with the US Open and US Open Series coming."

The late withdrawal of Wimbledon runner-up Henin-Hardenne improved the US team's chances of advancing to the September 16-17 final.

"I believe we have a good chance," said Garrison.

Even if Clijsters seems untouchable, the second player on the Belgian squad, Kirsten Flipkens, is ranked only 122nd. Jill Craybas, ranked 70th, opens against Flipkens today, and 67th-ranked Jamea Jackson plays her in the last singles tomorrow.

It might come down to the doubles late tomorrow at the 5,000-capacity Sea'rena.

The United States are chasing their 18th title while Belgium only won in 2001.

The US team were weakened because Serena Williams has been off the tour for several months with a bad left knee, while Davenport has a bad back. Venus Williams dropped out last month.