Taipei: Defending champion Suteepat Prateeptienchai is one off shot the pace heading into the weekend rounds at the US$400,000 Taifong Open.
The Thai carded a best of the week nine-under-par 63 to move to 14-under 130, one behind leader Jack Thompson of Australia at the par-72 Taifong Golf Club.
Thompson has the halfway lead in an Asian Tour event for the first time after a second round seven-under-par 65 moved him to 15-under 129.
The young Australian, who is languishing in 87th place on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, is fighting to keep his card with three events remaining after this week.
Taiwan's Hung Chien-yao and another Thai hope Runchanapong Youprayong, the joint overnight leader with Thompson, are tied third on 12-under 132.
Hung carded a 64 while Runchanapong fired a 68.
Thompson finished in a blaze of glory on Thursday with an eagle and three birdies in his last four holes and was equally as strong yesterday making eight birdies and dropped his only shot in 36 holes on the first, which was his 10th as he started on the back nine.
Suteepat won the Yeangder TPC in Taiwan at the end of September and is bidding for a rare hat-trick of titles in the island nation.
"I had not been thinking about defending my title this week, but now I am," he said.
Thailand's Chonlatit Chuenboonngam and Shahriffuddin Ariffin from Malaysia are in a tie for fifth, five behind Thompson, after they both carded 67s.