18th April, Bangkok: Thailand celebrate their second double victory after national youth, Yanee Saebae claimed the Women's crown while ex-national, Kritchawat Jamparkao clinched the Men's title of the ABF Thour Thailand 2011 at S.F. Strike Bowl on Monday.

Yanee Saebae, who finished third in the Ladies' Open Masters finals to two Koreans, had her sweet revenge when she had to beat two other Korean women en-route to claiming the women's crown.

In the finals against Jo Hyun Jung, both were tied up to the fourth frame when Jo had an open frame in the fifth which boosted Yanne's confidence a little when she rolled a double to pull away for a 27 pins lead.

When Yanee herself had an open frame in the eighth, the Korean too was unlucky to encounter a split in the eighth and another open frame in the ninth which put the Thai girl in a strong position.

Yanee went on to end the match with 193 to clinch her third international title. The champion first won the Doubles gold medal at the 2009 Asian Youth Games and the Masters gold medal at last year's Asian Schools championship.

The champion thrashed Youth Open champion Jun Gwi Ae of Dae Jeon City, 257-187 in the secomd semi to reach the finals. She also eliminated another Korean Lee Mi-Jin 191-173 in the first round.

Jo edged 2008 ABF Tour Hong Kong champion, Chen Dongdong of China, 198-195 in the first semi to set up the match with the Thai.

Meanwhile, Thailand celebrated a double victory for the second consecutve year after Apiwich Watanaphonesakorn and Angkana Netrviseth first won both titles. Ex-national and 2007 ABF Tour Thailand first runnerup had to come from behind to clinch his first tour title.

Korean national rookie and tour debutant, Kim Byung-Suk was leading comfortably after he had two double strikes in the third-fourth and sixth-seventh frames as Kritchawat had an open frame in the fourth.

Needing only a spare in his last frame to put the match beyond the Thai, the Korean rolled a split and ending the game with 202 giving a chance to his opponent to strike home for the win.

The 45-year-old two-time Malaysian Open champion delivered the strikes needed to win the match with 204 and clinched the title to give Thailand the double.

The champion did the same trick in the semi-final match against newly-crowned Thailand Open champion, Lee Ik-Kyu. Lee had failed to spare pin 10 in his last frame which gave confidence to Kritchawat to strike home to win the match, 218-202 to reach the finals.

Kritchawat beat the first Korean, Cho Young Seon by a single pin, 237-236 in the first round and then ousted compatriot, Dechochai Tinjiratip, 245-215 in the second round to advance to the semi.

The runnerup beat Hussain Al-Suwaidi of UAE, 243-172 in the first round and then compatriot, Gang Yu Chan of Ulsan City, 199-160 in Round 2 before thrashing Badin Lerdpiriyasakulkut, 277-237 to reach the finals.

Ms Vivien Lau, Honorary Life President of Asian Bowling Federation and ABF Tour Organizing Chairman was in Bangkok to present the trophies to the champions. The Thailand leg was the first time the Korean national team participated in.

The next leg for this year's tour will be in Macau on July 3 followed by Hong Kong on July 18 before ending the tour in Indonesia on July 26.

For further information and details, please contact ABF Tour Committee at Tel: +852 2893 6039, Fax: +852 2893 6290; Email: hktbc@netvigator.com or info@abftour.com.

Photos by Terence Yaw in Bangkok.