Thepchaiya Un-nooh kept the Thai hopes of a title alive at the Pathum Thani 6-red World Championship, storming into the semi-finals of the 11-million-baht event last night.
Thepchaiya, who is currently ranked No.45 in the world, was neck-and-neck with China's Zhang Anda before he broke free and took four frames on the trot for a 6-2 quarter-final victory.
Chinese ace Ding Junhui joined the Thai star in the semi-finals following an impressive 6-2 victory over Stuart Bingham of England in another quarter-final.
Thepchaiya, a 37-year-old from Nakhon Nayok, has been in spectacular form since the start of the tournament on Monday and is the only Thai player left in contention for this year's top honours.
Three Thais tasted defeat in the last-16 stage at the Convention Centre of Thammasat University's Rangsit campus earlier in the day.
Thepchaiya, who emerged as the first -- and so far only -- Thai winner of the 6-red world title in 2015, topped Group B standings, winning all his three first-round matches.
The March 6-11 tournament is sanctioned by the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association.
The champion will receive 4.2 million baht in prize money and the trophy graciously donated by His Majesty the King.
Earlier in the last-16 round, Thepchaiya had three breaks of 64 on his way to a 6-2 victory over compatriot Dechawat Poomjaeng to enter the quarter-finals.
However, there was disappointment for the Thai fans in other matches in the first two sessions of the day.
Noppon Saengkham failed to match the wits of Iranian star Hossein Vafaei and went down 6-2 in their last-16 battle.
Ageing Thai snooker legend Wattana Phu-Ob-Orm also failed to live up to the expectations of his fans, crashing out of the tournament in the wake of a 6-4 loss to Zhang.
In a big upset in the afternoon session, reigning world champion and No.1 Ronnie O'Sullivan was sent packing by No.30-ranked Ding 6-2.
Four other Thai players participating in the tournament -- 2022 women's world champion Nutcharat Wongharuethai, Poramin Danjirakul, Kritsanut Lertsattayathorn and Akani Songsermsawad -- failed to make it past the first stage which ended on Wednesday night.