Life timeline of 'F Nakhon Nayok': from reluctantly competing due to a secret registration to toppling the snooker king and rising as world champion.
There is an athlete born in a small province less than 100 kilometers from Bangkok whose name now resonates all the way to Sheffield, England. He is 'F Nakhon Nayok,' or Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, a Thai snooker player who has proven to the world that dreams know no borders.
The origin of 'F'
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh was born on 18 April 1985 in Nakhon Nayok, a small province in eastern central Thailand. His nickname is 'F,' which later became the name known worldwide as 'F Nakhon Nayok,' and internationally as 'F-One.'
The first tournament Thepchaiya entered was at age 16. He did not even know he was entered because someone signed him up without telling him. Initially reluctant and feeling embarrassed about not being good enough, he gave his best once competing and ended up winning that event. Afterward, he continued competing, and by age 17, he traveled from Nakhon Nayok to Bangkok to compete in professional tournaments.
First steps toward becoming a professional
He won Thailand’s first student snooker championship, the PCT Student Cue Sports, and became Thailand’s youth champion in 2005. In 2007, he was runner-up in the Thailand championship, and in 2008, he won the Thailand 6-reds championship before capturing the World Amateur Snooker Championship that same year. This victory earned him a crucial ticket to join the professional tour for the 2008-09 season.
Difficult years breaking through the world tour
During the first two to three years as a professional, Thepchaiya struggled against the strength of other tour players and often only reached the qualifying rounds. It was not until the 2013-2014 season that he began to regularly compete in the main draw rounds.
This period was the toughest test, as he had to battle both world-class opponents and financial constraints for travel.
Funding his own competition expenses
Thepchaiya had to find his own money to cover travel expenses for competitions, a challenge many Thai athletes face without major sponsorship. What kept him going was his love for the sport.
Rising in the SEA Games arena
In 2011, Thepchaiya returned to represent Thailand at the 26th SEA Games in Indonesia, winning the gold medal by defeating a Singaporean snooker player in the final. This was his first and only gold medal at the SEA Games.
“Speed King”
Thepchaiya earned the nickname “Speed King” from World Snooker due to his fast and energetic playing style.
In 2016, he made a Maximum Break of 147 points at the Paul Hunter Classic in Germany, a pinnacle achievement in snooker that players worldwide aspire to.
First world title: Snooker Shoot Out 2019
Thepchaiya won the 2019 Snooker Shoot Out by defeating Michael Holt 74-0 in a single-frame, 10-minute match final.
This victory earned him £34,000 (approximately 1.4 million baht) and boosted his world ranking from 54th to 41st.
He became the second Thai player after “Tong Sitchoi” Ratchapol Pu-Ob-Orm to win a world ranking event; Tong Sitchoi first won between 1992 and 1995.
Runner-up at the 2019 World Open
In the same year, Thepchaiya reached the final of the 2019 World Open in China but lost 5-10 to world number one Judd Trump from England. This performance moved his ranking up from 37th to 22nd.
Crucible Theatre history
Thepchaiya is the fifth Thai player to reach the last 32 at the World Snooker Championship and play at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, the sport’s most revered venue, following Tong Sitchoi, Tai Phichit, Jack Saraburi, and Moo Paknam.
His best world ranking was 15th, making him the second Thai player after Tong Sitchoi, who reached as high as third.
World Open Final 2026: The legend continues
Most recently, in 2026, Thepchaiya reached the World Open final again, facing Ronnie O’Sullivan, the greatest snooker champion from England.
In the first half, O’Sullivan led 4-0, but then a miracle happened. Thepchaiya won five consecutive frames to lead 5-4 by the end of the session.
In the deciding session, F-One took the first frame to lead 6-4. Though Ronnie won two frames to tie at 6-6, Thepchaiya’s calmness and superior accuracy secured a 10-7 victory. This match was made even more memorable by Thepchaiya’s 147 maximum break against Ronnie O’Sullivan, the greatest snooker player in history.
This is the story of a young man from Nakhon Nayok who never gave up despite battling poverty, uncertainty, and world-class opponents. Today, he has proven that no matter where you come from, if your heart fights on, dreams can always come true.
Thepchaiya Un-Nooh... F Nakhon Nayok... The Speed King of the snooker world.
Additional trivia: The nickname “F1” comes from his nickname “F” plus his speed reminiscent of an F1 car and is recognized internationally. His Facebook page has over 147,000 followers.