14th May, Bangkok: The inaugural ABF Tour, arrives in Thailand this weekend and all the actions from Brunswick RCA Bowl in Bangkok will be featured with LIVE scores on the 15 and 16 May starting at 16:00 (Hong Kong/Singapore time).

Former World Cup champion, Ahmed Shaheen of Qatar who took the Thailand Open Masters' title, is firmly in top-seed while Chinese Taipei's Tsai Hsin-Yi makes her second ABF Tour appearance as favourite after clinching the Women's crown yesterday.

Ryan Leonard Lalisang, the 24 year-old law student from Indonesia, scored a perfect game en-route to winning the men's title to earn 75 rankings points by ousting UAE's Sultan Al-Marzouqi in the first leg in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. And in the women's division, Wendy Chai of Malaysia clinched the title by narrowly defeating teammate Sarah Yap by a solidarity pin in a nail-bitting finale.

But the current leader in the rankings table, failed to make the cut for the Thailand leg after a grueling 16-game Masters' final in the prestigious 30th Thailand Interantional Open which concluded yesterday. Former World Cup champion, Ahmed Shaheen of Qatar who took the Thailand Open Masters' title, is firmly in top-seed and will be facing unfancied Justin Teng of Singapore while Malaysia's Daniel Lim, runner-up to Shaheen, will meet Chinese Taipei's Cheng Chao-Sheng in Round 1.

Wendy Chai, the champion of the first leg and current leader in the rankings table also failed to make her second appearance in the tour and has handed the Malaysian's charge to teammate and three-time Asian Bowler of the Year, Shalin Zulkifli. But the newly-crowned Sinai Open champion, settled for second-seed after finishing runner-up to Taiwanese Tsai Hsin-Yi in the preceeding Thailand Open.

Tsai will meet ex-international Low Poh Lian of Malaysia and Shalin is matched against another Taiwanese Chien Hsiu-Lan in Round 1. Tsai goes into this leg full of confidence after winning the Women's Team Gold mdeal in the East Asian Games in Ulsan, Korea last month while Shalin is determined to not to repeat her disappointment in the first leg when she made an early exit.

Joining them will be 14 year-old World Youth Championship Gold medalist, Angkana Netvitesh of Thailand drawn against Filipino lass, Irene Garcia while the clash between Asian Ranked No. 1 Liza del Rosario and Singapore's Alice Tay promises to be thrilling match.

The draw sheet in the men's division can also be watched with interest as three local bowlers, Yannaphon Larpapharat, Sithiphol Kunaksorn and Annop Arromsaranon will attempt to carry the Thailand flag afloat through to the finals. Asian Championship Gold medalist, Shaker Al-Hassan of UAE and Australia's veteran, Andrew Frawley are the other bowlers featured.

The ABF Tour comprise six Legs and a Grand Final, the Tournament of Champions. Each Leg will be staged over two competition days where the top 16 men and 16 women bowlers from the preceding International Open Masters Event (Open Grade) will compete in a one-game match play knock-out competition for the individual men's and women's titles.

The Tournament of Champions will be staged over four competition days where the top 16 men and 16 women bowlers (based on ABF Tour ranking points), plus two additional wildcard entries from the West Asia region (thus totalling 18 men in the men's division), will qualify to compete over four rounds of competition for the coveted men's and women's ABF Tour Champion titles.

Highlights of the ABF Tour - Thailand will be telecast on local television stations of the six countries where the tour are being held. Please check your local TV listing for detailed schedule.

For further information and details please contact ABF Tour Committee Marketing and Event Management Division at Tel: (852) 2810 5191; Fax: (852) 28105192; Mr. Ritchie Lai (Mobile: (852) 93598669; email: ritchie.lai@tndgroup.com) or Mr. Kelvin Pong (Mobile: (852) 9100 0958; email: Kelvin.pong@tndgroup.com).