Parinda Phokan and Wanchana Poruangrong set the early pace at the PTT Thailand LPGA Masters yesterday as the Thai pair opened with a six-under-par 66 each to share a two-stroke lead.
Waralee Atcharerk was alone in third spot as the young Thai carded a 68 at Bangkok's Panya Indra Golf Club in the season finale of the Thai LPGA Tour.
Compatriots Pannarat Thanapolboonyaras and Aunchisa Utama were three shots back on 69 along with Taiwan's Huang Ching and South Korean Park Jin-Hee.
Sui Xiang was the top Chinese as the Guangdong native opened with a two-under 70 in a group that included leading amateur Kultida Pramphun of Thailand.
Defending champion Saranporn Langkulgasettrin of Thailand was at even-par 72.
The four-million-baht tournament is tri-sanctioned by the Chinese, Thai and Australian LPGA tours.
Parinda, a 21-year-old from Khon Kaen, took advantage of the soft conditions in the morning after the overnight rain to post a bogey-free round featuring six birdies, five of which came on the opening nine holes.
"Good approaches, putting so good and I hit 18 greens. On the front nine I could make birdies from the two par-five holes because they were short," said Parinda, who tied for second at last year's tournament.
"Last week I played in Taiwan. I played quite good but the greens were not that good so my putting was not good. This week I hit it well and the greens are kind of good so I had a lot of chances to make birdie. I have played this course for six years since I was amateur so this year hopefully I can win this tournament."
Wanchana opened with a round that featured three birdies on both the front and back nines at the Ronald Fream-designed course.
"Today I played good, 13 fairways, 15 greens and 26 putts. Everything was on today," said the 24-year-old Surin native, a three-time winner in Thailand this year.
"But anybody in this field, no matter where they are from, can win. It's never easy to win whether you are playing at home or abroad. But I want to win this week."
Arpichaya Yubol, the 16-year-old who is seeking her sixth successive win on the Thai LPGA Tour, was five shots back at 71 after stumbling to three bogeys over her last five holes.
She was one shot ahead of Patcharajutar Kongkraphan, the 2010 CLPGA Tour Order of Merit winner.