Players representing four different countries lined-up in the semi-finals of the SangSom 6-red World Championship at Central Plaza Ladprao yesterday, but sadly, a Thai was not among them.
Akani Songsermsawad lost in the quarter-finals, while defending champion Thepchaiya Un-nooh and Noppon Saengkham had exited in the last 16 round.
The semi-finals brought together an Englishman, Stuart Bingham, a Scot, Stephen Maguire, an Indian, Advani Pankaj and a Chinese, Ding Junhui.
Bingham became the first finalist by beating Maguire 7-1.
It was an impressive performance from the 2015 world champion who continued from where he left off in the quarter-finals.
Beaten finalist in the inaugural championship in 2008, he dropped the opening frame before virtually coasting to an impressive victory over his Scottish opponent who won this event in 2014. Bingham had two breaks of 72 and a 66.
"My practice game is very good and so far I have been able to bring it to the match table," said Bingham who extended his unbeaten record at this year's championship to nine successive victories.
Thailand's hopes of proving the winner again following Thepchaiya's success last year fell by the wayside when last hope Akani Songsermsawat was beaten 7-4 by Bingham in yesterday's quarter-finals.
The new kid on the block won four of the first six frames but afterwards had no answer to Bingham's precise and deadly potting.
Both players had a break of 69 each but in the closing stages Akani lost his way as the 2015 world champion seized the initiative.
"He was a little unlucky in the last frame when he got in early by potting a red into a middle pocket," said Bingham. "Unfortunately for him, the cue ball came off a side cushion and hit the black hard enough to send it into a top pocket. But in the last four frames, I don't remember missing anything."