The host nation’s Wanchai Chaiwut and Dararat Asayut emerged the pair to note as the mixed doubles event commenced on Wednesday 20th July at the ITTF Thailand Para Open in Pattaya.

Similarly in the men’s doubles, the local pairing of Paisol Pateh and Wanchai Chaiwut alongside the Korea Republic combination formed by Jang Yeongjin and Park Jungsoo alo attracted the attention.

All three combinations upset the order of merit on a day when in the majority favourites prevailed.

Competing in a group organised class 7 event, Wanchai Chaiwut and Dararat Asayut accounted for the top seeded combination of Korea Republic’s Kim Younggun and Brazil’s Catia Oliveira (7-11, 11-7, 11-9, 11-7).

Impressively, the Thai duo ended the day unbeaten, with one match remaining for each pair, they are clear favourites for gold.

In men’s doubles class 4, it is the same situation for Jang Yeongjin and Park Jungsoo, the winners in opposition to top seeded colleagues Cha Sooyong and Jeoung Sanggu (11-4, 11-6, 11-9).

Rather different, in men’s doubles class 8, a group phase followed by knock-out, Paisol Pateh and Wanchai Chaiwut overcame the combination of Japan’s Genko Saito and Turkey’s Suleyman Vural, the highest rated pairing (6-11, 11-7, 11-6, 6-11, 12-10).

The Thai pair ended the group unbeaten, for Genko Saito and Suleyman Vural, it was just one defeat; thus, both pairs reserved semi-final places and could well meet again in the gold medal decider.

Penultimate places reserved; it was same for top seeded partnerships.

In the men’s doubles Chile’s Cristian Dettoni and Matias Pino Lorca (class 14) duly progressed as did Thailand’s Bunpot Sillapong and Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri (class 18).

Likewise, in the women’s doubles Chinese Taipei’s Tan Shiau-Wen and Lin Tzu-Yu (class 20) duly advanced, as in the mixed doubles did Jean-Paul Montanus and Kelly van Zon of the Netherlands (class 14), in addition to Chinese Taipei’s Lin Chun-Ting and Tian Shiau (class 20).

In a likewise vein it was a positive outcome for the pairing comprising Korea Republic’s Kim Gitae and Sin Nahea (class 22).

Meanwhile, in group administered events, in the men’s doubles Korea Republic’s Kim Gitae and Kim Changgi (class 22) remained unbeaten to justify their illustrious rating, a situation that applied also in the women’s doubles to Hong Kong’s Ng Mui Wui and Wong Ting Ting (class 22).

Success for top seeded pairs in group organised events, a day without defeat, it was the same in the mixed doubles for Japan’s Toru Nakamoto and Kimie Besso (class 10) alongside Phisit Wangphonphathanasiri and Thai compatriot, Sumalee Suangtho (class 17).

Play in Pattaya concludes on Thursday 21^st July.