To the local snooker fans, who have crowded the venue at the Montien Riverside Hotel, it doesn't matter who has been doing what as they have mostly been too engrossed in following how the magnetic trio has been faring in the tournament.
The local hero Ratchapol, whose popularity with the Thai sports has never shown a sign of dipping in over 20 years, completed his first round battles with a 5-3 victory over Northern Irish professional Gerard Greene on Wednesday morning.
With a few matches still to be played, Ratchapol was sitting pretty in Group D assured of a top place in the standings and being among top eight for the knockout stages. All qualifiers were to be re-seeded on the basis of their performances in the first round on Wednesday night.
White, winner of the SangSom 6-red World Grand Prix at the same venue last year, once again showed his liking for this fast cue sports discipline as he topped the Group A standing with four win in five matches.
Williams, who is the top ranked professional taking part in the Championship, suffered another 5-3 loss, this time going down to England's Stuart Pettman in their Group B encounter.
However, his three wins should prove enough to carry the Welsh wizard to the knockout last 32 stage of the tournament.
Group B, which is likely to be topped by the winner of the match between Pettman and Scottish qualifier Scott MacKenzie, also produced biggest casualty of the event so far with former world professional champion ken Doherty collapsing at the first hurdle with a dismal 1-4 win-loss record.
As for the Thai players, young Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon was the only one of the eight sent packing for sure in the first round. He was placed fifth in the six-strong Group F, which was likely to be topped by Mark Davis of England ahead of compatriot and former world professional champion Peter Ebdon.
Former world amateur champion Noppadon Noppachorn was precariously placed and his march into the second round largely on his last Group E match against China's Yu Delu on Wednesday night.
Passakorn Suwannawat had tough run in Group G but made it to the next round by finishing fourth on the basis of a better frames difference average.
Thepchaiya Un-nooh, Supoj Saenla, Issara Kachaiwong and Noppon Saengkham all saied through to the next round from their respective groups.
RESULT
Session One: Igor Figueiredo (BRA) bt Yasin Merchant (IND) 5-4, Jamie Jones (WAL) bt Judd Trump (ENG) 5-1, Alfie Burden (ENG) bt Mohamed Khairy (EGY) 5-1, Mohammed Mustafa Shehab (UAE) bt Thanawat Thirapongpaiboon (THA) 5-3, Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm (THA) bt Gerard Greene (NIR) 5-3, Noppon Saengkham (THA) bt Dave Harold (ENG) 5-4, Michael Holt (ENG) bt Patrick Einsle (GER) 5-4, Jimmy White (ENG) bt Darren Morgan (WAL) 5-3
Session Two: Nigel Bond (ENG) bt Andrew Pagett (WAL) 5-3, Jamie Cope (ENG) bt Noppadon Noppachorn (THA) 5-4, Ricky Walden (ENG) bt Liu Chuang (CHN) 5-4, Stuart Pettman (ENG) bt Mark J. Williams (WAL) 5-3, Mohammad Sajjad (PAK) bt Mohammed Al Joakar (UAE) 5-1, Scott Mackenzie (SCO) bt Issara Kachaiwong (THA) 5-3, Ken Doherty (IRL) bt Hassan Samir (EGY) 5-1
Session Three: Joe Perry (ENG) bt Passakorn Suwannawat (THA) 5-1, Michael Holt (ENG) bt Alfie Burden (ENG) 5-4, Yu Delu (CHN) bt Habib Sabah (BAH) 5-2, Jimmy White (ENG) bt Sitthidead Sackbiang (LAO) 5-1, Stuart Bingham (ENG) bt Thepchaiya Un-nooh (THA) 5-3, Mark Selby (ENG) bt Glen Wilkinson (AUS) 5-0, Dave Harold (ENG) bt James Mifsud (AUS) 5-2, Peter Ebdon (ENG) bt Joe Swail (NIR) 5-3 |
