Thailand's quest for 17 gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia looks tough, but two triumphs on Saturday gave the country's athletes hopes of matching their 12-gold haul four years ago.
Thailand's unbeaten sepak takraw stars delivered their third gold medal of Jakarta Palembang 2018 and a jet skier stepped up to add another and carry the Thai tally to eight gold medals after two relatively silent days.
The Thais also fetched a quartet of silvers with two jet skiers, a tennis mixed doubles pair, and an BMX cycling expert pocketing one medal each.
The 2-0 scoreline in favour of the Thais in the men's sepak takraw team doubles final may not suggest it but the victory over neighbouring Laos in Palembang was a hard-fought one.
The Thai pair of Pattarapong Yupadee and Jirasak Pakbuangoen faced a stiff resistance from Laotian duo of Lakxanasay Bounphaiwan and Noum Souvannalith before wrapping up the first match-up 21-18, 21-18.
Anuwat Chaichana and Assadin Wongyota claimed the first set 21-18, but Laos' Yothin Sombatputhone and Kantana Nanthisen fought back and tied the second match-up 1-1 after shocking their Thai opponents with a 21-18 win in the second.
Anuwat and Assadin regrouped in time to grab the deciding third set 21-14 and claim the third sepak takraw gold medal for Thailand after their victories in the men's and women's regu team events.
Thailand aim to win four golds in the Southeast Asian sport with one event left for them.
It was a great day for the Thais on water as they landed a gold, two silver and a bronze medals at Jet-Ski Indonesia Academy.
The jet ski runabout 1100 stock gold medal came in a dramatic fashion for the Thais.
Phadit Buree initially won the event but a few hours later the organisers declared that the Maha Sarakham native had fouled in the last moto and promoted his 33-year-old compatriot Attapon Kunsa to the top spot.
Phadit, however, had done enough to beat Ou Moeut Saly of Cambodia and bag the silver.
Saly was in better form in the men's ski modified event to capture Cambodia's second gold medal of the Games so far.
He outperformed Thailand's Kasidit Teeraprateep and Nuttakorn Pupakdee, who finished second and third respectively.
Meanwhile, Luksika Kumkhum and Sonchat Ratiwatana fell at the last hurdle despite making another gallant effort in the mixed doubles tennis event to leave the arena with a silver -- Thailand's only medal in the sport in this year's Asiad.
Christopher Rungkat and Aldila Sutjiadi combined well to grab the gold for the host country as they were backed by a large partisan and boisterous crowd.
They won 6-4, 5-7 10-7 (super tie-break).
Thailand claimed silver in the women's BMX with Chutikan Kitwanitsathian finishing second at Pulo Mas International BMX Center.
Chinese Zhang Yaru snatched the gold in a time of 39.643 seconds.
Chutikan settled for silver in 40.379sec and the bronze medal went to Wiji Lestari of Indonesia in 40.788.
In badminton, Nitchaon Jindapol beat Kavidi Sirimannage of Sri Lanka 21-4, 21-14 in the women's singles last 16 round to set up a quarter-final clash with PV Sindhu of India.
Sindhu beat Gregoria Tunjung of Indonesia 21-12, 21-15 to reach the last eight.
Thailand's world No.4 Ratchanok Intanon also stayed on course with a 2-0 (21-15, 24-22) victory South Korean star Sung Ji-Hyun.
Ratchanok, a former world champion, has lined up a quarter-final clash with injury-prone Indian ace Saina Nehwal, who recorded a lopsided 21-6, 21-14 victory over Fitriani Fitriani of Indonesia.
There was familiar disappointment for the men's squad as Khosit Phetpradab and Kantaphon Wangcharoen bowed out in the last 16 stage of the men's singles.
Khosit Phetpradab was beaten 21-17, 18-21, 18-21 by Jonatan Christie of Indonesia, while Kantaphon crashed out to Chou Tien-chen of Taiwan 18-21, 21-13, 11-21.
In karate, Monsicha Tararattanakul beat Nepal's Chanchala Danuwar 5-0 in the bronze medal match of the women's kata.
In women's football, China routed Thailand 5-0 in the quarter-finals.
