Thailand's hopes of winning a lion's share of cue sports gold medals at the 2019 SEA Games have been snookered by the Philippines' decision to include as many as six pool events in the competition.
The cue sports tournament offers in all 10 gold medals in snooker, English billiards, pool and carom disciplines.
The Philippines is predominantly a pool playing country and is known for the exploits of its players on the international stage, including many world titles.
Snooker is the most popular form of cue sports in Thailand, which has long been recognised as a world powerhouse in the discipline.
Suntorn Jarumon, president of the Billiard Sports Association of Thailand (BSAT), has set a target of two gold medals for the country's players at the SEA Games, which get underway on Nov 30.
"The host country has opted to include six pool events in the SEA Games and it will definitely have an affect on our chances of winning the titles," said Suntorn.
"The BSAT has been actively trying to improve the standard of its pool players, and we do have a chance of winning a gold medal in the discipline from one of the women's events."
Siriphaporn Nuanthakhamjan, a former world women's 6-red snooker champion, has switched over to playing pool and is rated as Thailand's top contender for a gold medal in the Philippines.
Suntorn added: "There will be only two snooker events -- men's singles and doubles -- in the Games. We are expecting to win at least one of them."
Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn will lead the Thai assault on the snooker singles top honours. The other members of the snooker team are Passakorn Suwannawat, Thanawat Tirapongpaiboon and Poramin Danjirakul.
"In English billiards, Praprut Chaithanasakun is former Asian and SEA Games champion, but he faces a tough competition for the only gold in the discipline," said the BSAT president.
"Singapore are sending England's Peter Gilchrist, a former world professional champion who has changed his nationality. Moreover, there are some good players from Myanmar also competing at the Games."