Thai Snooker 2011: Thepchaiya is National Champion

In the final of the Thai National Championship on Saturday afternoon in Ubon, Thepchaiya Un-Nooh defeated Suchakree Poomjaeng to become Thailand Champion.

Few would have bet against Nakhon Nayok’s Thepchaiya becoming national champion sooner or later, and his form over the present season has been consistently a cut above the rest. He picked up two consecutive ranking titles and secured the number one ranking despite starting the season outside the top 16 and facing an extra qualifying round, so it was fitting that he should end the season holding up the most coveted trophy of them all.

His opponent in the best of nine final was Suchakree (Kwan) Poomjaeng, who must have hoped that his tenacious and disciplined style of play would enable him to keep Thepchaiya in check, but in the event he was unable to make any impression on proceedings in a regrettably one-sided affair. Breaks of 78 in the opener and 74 in the third, surrounded by a number of more  modest offerings, were more than enough for Thepchaiya to overwhelm any semblance of a reply, and march irresistibly to a 5-0 victory, the title and another cheque for 100,000 baht.  Suchakree collected 50,000 for his efforts and will expect to be finally back in Thailand’s top sixteen next season.

The 2012 season is expected to begin early next year with seven events, six of which will include invited wildcard players. Dates and venues have not yet been announced. The eight players ranked 57-64 will lose their tour places and will be replaced by the eight top ranked players from the qualifying circuit, which is not yet complete this year.