Antalya: Kiradech Aphibarnrat shot a four-under-par 67 in the second round to stay third in the Turkish Airlines Open on Friday.
The 28-year-old Thai had a two-day total of 133 after shooting a 66 in the opening round.
He was five shots behind Belgium's Nicolas Colsaerts, who carded his second successive 64.
England's Eddie Pepperell hit a 66 for the second time to be lone second on 132.
Kiradech, the 2013 Asian Tour Order of Merit winner, mixed his card with seven birdies and three bogeys.
He put himself into contention with a superb birdie at the last hole.
The world No.95 recorded his fourth top-10 on the European Tour last month in finishing second at the Italian Open. "Well, it's always a good way to finish the last hole with a birdie and get away from the golf course," Kiradech said.
"So, it will be sweet dreams tonight. My score is a little bit closer to Nicolas, but the way he's playing the first two rounds is fantastic.
"The good thing is that the last three months, I have been playing solid golf and really comfortable with the swing. The way I'm striking the ball is fantastic. I'm also working with my coach, Peter Cowen and understanding what to do, and I think it's working the right way."
Colsaerts looked in a class of his own opening up a four-shot cushion at the midway stage.
Colsaerts did not drop a shot in his second straight 64 in ideal conditions on the Regnum Carya course.
The Brussels-born Colsaerts capped his round with four birdies in his opening six holes as he looks to capture a third European Tour title and a first in more than five years.
"I had to work a little bit harder for today's score as day one was kind of eyes closed and everything kind of was falling into my lap," he said.
"Today it's actually more satisfying to shoot the same score but having to go and find it a little bit more. I still played great.
"I kept the ball in play the way I wanted. I had a bit of a good break on the second hole and that was pretty much what I wanted, as I recovered well every time I hit a bad shot.
"So I guess that was a key."
Colsaerts effort was one-shot shy of matching the tournament's opening 36-hole low of 15-under set a year ago by eventual winner, Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark. bangkok post/afp
