Friday September 28, 2007, 10:30 AM

The Thai pairing of Thongchai Jaidee and Prayad Marksaeng produced a battling two-under-par 70 in the foursomes to take a one-stroke halfway lead in the Fortis International Challenge on Friday.

The Thais produced three birdies against a lone bogey for a 13-under-par 131 aggregate at the Kota Permai Golf and Country Club, in the qualifier for the World Cup in China in November.

"We are two under par today, which is very good in foursomes. We are pleased with our performance and we are confident that our fine run will continue," said Thongchai.

"We hit a lot of greens and fairways, so that was good. Prayad also played very well and our plan worked out nicely."

Korea's Lee Sung and Lee Seung-ho fired a sparkling 67 for second place, while Gerald Rosales and Tony Lascuna of the Philippines, New Zealand's Richard Lee and Stephen Scahill and Holland's Robert-Jan Derksen and Maarten Lafeber share third place on 133, two behind Thailand.

Overnight joint leaders Malaysia, with Iain Steel and Airil Rizman in the team, slipped to joint seventh place after struggling to a 75 in the alternate-shot format, while last year's winners Singapore's Mardan Mamat and Lam Chih Bing are ninth on 138.

The top five teams will qualify for the World Cup.

Second round scores

131 - Thailand (Thongchai Jaidee, Prayad Marksaeng) 61-70

132 - Korea (Lee Seung-Ho, Lee Sung) 65-67

133 - Philippines (Tony Lascuna, Gerald Rosales) 65-68, New Zealand (Richard Lee, Stephen Scahill) 66-67, Holland (Robert-Jan Derksen, Maarten Lafeber) 64-69

135 - Chinese Taipei (Lin Wen-tang, Lin Wen-hong) 65-70

136 - Myanmar (Zaw Moe, Soe Kyaw Naing) 68-68, Malaysia (Airil Rizman, Iain Steel) 61-75

138 - Singapore (Mardan Mamat, Lam Chih Bing) 66-72

140 - Hong Kong (James Stewart, Wong Woon Man) 66-74

141 - Switzerland (Martin Rominger, Robert Wiederkehr) 67-74

142 - Pakistan (Matloob Ahmed, Muhammad Munir) 66-76

144 - Slovenia (Janez Grilc, Andrej Kraljic) 68-76

147 - Ghana (Emos Korblah, Victor Brave Mensah) 70-77

148 - Mauritius (Billy Narraina, Vishnoo Seeneevassen) 69-79

150 - Russia (Igor Korchak, Victor Ostankov) 68-82

151 - Uganda (Deo Akope, Godfrey Mande) 71-80

© 2007 AFP/sid