SINGAPORE - Thailand picked up three of the first six Pencak Silat titles among its gold-medal haul on Sunday and led the Southeast Asian Games medal standings with 87 golds, five ahead of host Singapore and 14 clear of third-place Vietnam at the end of the third-to-last day of competition.
There are 16 more gold medals on offer in the last two days.
Thailand's tally increased to 87 gold medals after Sunday's events, five ahead of second-placed hosts Singapore, who had 82. Vietnam were third with 73 golds.
The Thais won two golds in tennis, three in pencak silat, and one each in rowing, water skiing, bowling and taekwondo.
Thailand qualified with a 5-0 semifinal win against Indonesia, and has scored 21 goals while conceding just one in the tournament so far.
"We are 100 per cent confident that we can win," Thailand captain Sarach Yooyen told a news conference Sunday, "but we have to be very careful against Myanmar. They can be dangerous."
Myanmar edged Vietnam 2-1 in the other semifinal to reach only its third SEA Games final since its golden run ended in the 1970s. Coach Kyi Lwin will be hoping for third time lucky - Myanmar lost the 2007 and 1993 finals to Thailand.
"Our supporters from Myanmar and the people who have supported us here in Singapore are all very passionate for success from our football team," Kyi Lwin said. "They are important in us making it all the way to the final."
Thousands of Myanmar migrant workers have turned out at every match the country played, sparking a renewal of sorts of the region's most intense football rivalry of the 1960s and '70s. Riots were frequent and a Myanmar supporter was killed in one clash between fans at a match at Bangkok's then-national stadium at Pathumwan.
In this year's SEA Games, meanwhile, Malaysia held onto fourth place on the standings with 59 gold medals, including a pair in rhythmic gymnastics when Koi Sie Yan and Shasangari Nagarajan couldn't be separated in the individual all around final Sunday.
The Malaysian teammates finished level with 60.250 points, with Thailand's Prawatyotin Panjarat taking bronze with 57.350 points.
On Sunday, the Thais won two golds in tennis, three in pencak silat, and one each in rowing, water skiing, bowling and taekwondo.
The Thai tennis team's haul of six golds, two silvers and three bronze medals at the Kallang tennis centre well exceeded their pre-tournament expectations, although hopes of recording a clean sweep were dashed by a determined Filipino duo who spoiled an otherwise perfect final day on the court.
Warit Sornbutnark became the first Thai in 12 years to win the men's singles gold medal yesterday.
Despite Indonesian ace David Susanto starting off well by taking the opening set 6-4, the third-seeded Warit hit back to land the second 6-3 and even the score 1-1.
The third set saw Warit turn in a solid performance to capitalise on unforced errors committed by Susanto for a 6-3 victory over the Indonesian and a place on the winner's podium.
In the women's doubles final, Noppawan Lertcheewakarn and Varatchaya Wongteanchai combined well to defeat the Filipinas Denise Dy and Katharina Lehnert comfortably 6-3, 6-4.
It was the third gold medal for Noppawan after winning the team and singles events earlier.
However, the Philippines pair of Dy and Treat Huey then stopped Thailand from grabbing all seven golds when they beat Peangtarn Plipuech and Sonchat Ratiwatana to win the mixed doubles crown 7-6, 6-4.
On Saturday, there had been no surprise in the men's doubles final when Thai twins Sonchat and Sanchai Ratiwatana captured the gold medal routing their Filipino rivals 6-4, 6-4.
The first two tennis titles were won earlier in the Games in the men's and women's team competitions.
The men's team beat the Indonesians 2-1 in the final, while the women's team edged the Philippines by the same score-line in the title clash.
The Thai success came despite the absence of veteran Danai Udomchoke, who had been instrumental in guiding the Kingdom to victory in the team contest.
Suwat Liptapanlop, president of the Lawn Tennis Association of Thailand (LTAT), presented the amulet of Luang Pho Kun to the players.
"It was a very satisfying tennis tournament for us and we are relieved that we have players who are capable of replacing the veterans in the team," said Suwat. "Warit has proven it by capturing the men's singles gold today. He has continued the success story of the likes Paradorn Srichaphan and Danai Udomchoke."
Warit said: "I am very happy at winning the gold medal today. This is my first SEA Games and I feel really excited. I was under lot of pressure in the final, as I was facing an opponent who has beaten me before."
On the last day of pencak silat competitions, Thailand bagged three gold medals from Adilan Chemaeng (men's 60kg), Pornteb Pookaew (men's 65kg), and Suda Lueangaphichatkun (women's 55kg).
Pornteb Poolkaew of Thailand, left, and Muhammad Fahmi Romli of Malaysia, exchange kicks during the pencak silat men's tanding class d (60-65kg) final. (AP photo)
In bowling, Yannaphon Larp-Apharat lived up to the expectations of the Thai fans when he won the gold medal in the men's singles in his fifth appearance in the tournament. The Nakhon Pathom-born player had also claimed the gold at the last year's Asian Games in South Korea.
Malaysia were the most successful team in the sport, winning five gold medals while Singapore picked up four.
In rowing, veteran Phuttharaksa Neegree won the gold medal in the women's lightweight single sculls (1,000m) to earn the the Rowing and Canoeing Association of Thailand their 11th gold of the Games.
It was a memorable farewell for the 41-year-old Phuttharaksa, who had announced earlier that the Singapore event would be her last SEA Games.
Thailand's mixed wakeboard team also came away winners at Bedok Reservoir, where four water skiing titles were contested Sunday. It was the second gold for Thailand in the sport.
In taekwondo, Thailand met their three-gold target when Peerathep Sila-on won the men's 74kg title, the last day of the taekwondo competition.
Peerathep claimed the title after rival Mohamad Sulaiman Khir Amir withdrew in the first round while he trailed the Thai 10-0. Earlier, Thailand had captured two gold medals from Chanatip Sornkham (women's 49kg) and Akkarin Kitwijarn (men's 63kg).
In floorball, Thailand had to settle for silvers after they lost to hosts Singapore in both men's and women's finals contested.
Indonesia were no match for Thailand, which won their football semifinal 5-0 to advance to Monday evening's SEA Games gold-medal match against Myanmar. (AP photo)