Top seeds Soon Huat-Shevon beat the unseeded Thai pair 22-20, 9-21, 21-18 in 59 minutes at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham in the BWF Super 1000 event, which offers a total prize money of US$1.5 million.

With this win, the world No 3 pair have beaten the 14th ranked Thai pair twice in their four encounters so far.

Soon Huat-Shevon lost in three games in the semi-final when they last met at the Malaysia Open in January.

They were knocked out in the second round of the All England championship last year.

They will face Alexander Dunn-Julie Macpherson from Scotland in tomorrow’s last-16.

In another match, men’s doubles pair Wan Arif Wan Junaidi-Yap Roy King were eliminated in the first round after losing 18-21, 21-16, 17-21 to China’s Huang Di-Liu Yang in a 67-minute encounter.

Among others in action later tonight will be men’s singles players Lee Zii Jia and Leong Jun Hao, men’s doubles pairs Aaron Chia-Soh Wooi Yik, Goh Sze Fei-Nur Izzuddin Rumsani, and Man Wei Chong-Tee Kai Wun.

Also featuring in the first round are women’s doubles pair Pearly Tan-M Thinaah and mixed-doubles pairs Chen Tang Jie-Toh Ee Wei, Hoo Pang Ron-Cheng Su Yin and Wong Tien Ci-Lim Chiew Sien.