Veteran Yeon made short work of his smaller Thai rival to win 5-1.

But despite Chanata's loss the Thai will still receive an incentive payment of Bt500,000 from the National Sports Development Fund.

The Thai squad suffered a major setback when Chonnapas Premwaew lost 9-1 to China's Dong Fengming in a one-sided encounter in the women's featherweight semi-final.

Chonnapas, a bronze medallist at last year's World Championships in Madrid, received a devastating kick to the head during the bout, flooring the Thai. The referee started an eight-count. Chonnapas recovered and tried to hit back, but to no avail and the referee stepped in to stop the lop-sided contest.

In the men's bantamweight quarter-final Nacha Panthong, who won a gold medal in this year's World University Taekwondo Championships in Spain, lost 3-2 to Spaniard Jose Luis Mendez.

Laksami Yumankong also fell victim to China's Feng Fei in the women's bantamweight semi-final. However, Laksami had a consolation bronze medal plus a cash incentive of Bt200,000 from the National Sports Development Fund.

"Despite winning only two medals, including one silver from Chanata, I think it's quite okay for the Thai team," said Pimol Srivikorn, the secretary-general of the Taekwondo Association of Thailand.

"Our athletes did their best. However, I'm convinced we will have a better chance of winning more gold tomorrow. Yaowapa [Boorapolchai] and Chatchawal [Khaola-Or] are our best hopes."

Four more gold medals will be contested today. Thailand's best hopes are Chatchawal Kaola-Or, a gold medallist at this year's World University Taekwondo Championships in Spain, in the men's finweight division and Athens Olympic heroine Yaowapa Boorapolchai in the women's finweight class.

Korea now have nine medals including six gold, making them a sure bet to win the overall crown.

Preechachan   Wiriyanupappong

The Nation