Tiger Woods moved ominously to within sight of the leaders in the Johnnie Walker Classic despite "running on only three cylinders" according to defending champion Michael Campbell.
The world number one carded a first round 68, four under par, at the Alpine Golf and Sports Club, to end the day just three shots off the lead in Bangkok.
Unheralded Australian Wayne Smith led after establishing a new course record with his 65 with compatriot Paul Gow a stroke behind and former British Open champion Paul Lawrie another shot adrift.
Teeing off shortly before noon local time, Woods had the worst of the conditions with a tricky breeze drying out the already firm greens.
The 24-year-old dropped a shot at the third after thinning his chip 12 feet past the hole but made amends with birdies at the fourth, seventh and eighth.
Another shot went at the ninth however when he duffed his chip from just off the green but three more birdies coming home left Woods reasonably happy and playing partner Campbell well impressed.
"It could have been a bit lower but could have been a bit higher," admitted Woods, who is seeking his 10th win of an amazing year that has brought him three major titles.
As ever Woods, whose mother Kultida hails from Thailand, attracted a huge gallery with the majority of a 12,000 sell-out crowd seemingly following his match.
"There were a lot of cameras and phones out there and I had to back off a few times but the crowd were very appreciative of good shots," Woods added.
"The wind picked up this afternoon and that makes a big difference to the scoring."
Indeed the majority of the low scores came from the morning groups with Smith, Gow and Lawrie all taking advantage of the slightly cooler conditions and smoother greens.
Lawrie's round of 67 was the perfect tonic after missing out on the lucrative World Golf Championship event at Valderrama last week.
It perhaps worked out well in the end for Lawrie who instead spent two days with coach Adam Hunter in Scotland and he looked in good form with five birdies and an eagle on the 17th where he holed from 35ft after a 3-wood approach some 265 yards.
Defending champion Campbell carded a one under par 71, a score matched by Nick Faldo, Ryder Cup captain Sam Torrance and Wolverhampton's Peter Baker who had a hole-in-one on the third hole with a five-iron from 198-yards.
