Haorun Sun Makes History in WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship

For the first time in poker history, the Kingdom of Thailand played host to an international poker festival, partnering with the globally renowned World Poker Tour to bring a week of world-class competition to capital city Bangkok. Hordes of players from around the globe made their way to the Land of Smiles to be part of this monumental debut, marking a major milestone for the region’s growing poker community.

Despite some early hiccups that delayed the start by a day, the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition officially kicked off on July 31st at the vibrant UOB LIVE, located inside the Emsphere Mall. The festivities got off to a roaring start, led by the THB 3,000,000 (~USD 92,670) travel fund Freeroll Opener, sponsored by official media partner PokerTalk Thailand, setting the tone for a truly landmark event.

Momentum quickly picked up, with four turbo-format starting flights running smoothly for the marquee THB 37,000,000 (~USD 1.1M) guaranteed WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship . All tournaments were conducted under local regulations limiting daily playtime, yet still drew an impressive 2,337 entries across the board. The overwhelming turnout more than doubled the original guarantee, propelling the prize pool to a massive THB 75,488,000 (~USD 2.3M) in total travel funds.

But beyond the numbers, the message was loud and clear that Thailand is indeed ready for the world stage. The country’s poker scene is hungry, vibrant, and poised for growth, with the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship laying out a proud and promising step forward.

Haoran Sun Wins WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship

After five intense days of action, China’s Haoran Sun emerged victorious as the first ever WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship winner, navigating a marathon 2,337-entry field to claim the title, the trophy, and the lion’s share of the THB 75,488,000 (~USD 2.3M) total travel fund prize pool.

For his incredible performance, Sun banked his most impressive career feat at THB 11,477,000 (~USD 352,480) in travel fund value along with a coveted must-play seat to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas later this year. More than any other victory, Sun now becomes part of Thai’s poker history, cementing an unforgettable run that will be remembered for years to come.

“It feels like I’ve been living in a dream,” Sun said moments after lifting the trophy, still riding the high of his first ever international title.

For Sun, a 33-year-old engineer turned poker enthusiast, this wasn’t just about prize money, but a defining moment. “This is my first main event championship,” he shared. “It has given me more confidence in my poker career. Winning a championship on an international stage is a very exciting moment in my life, and I’m very happy.”

Sun’s path to the top wasn’t without setbacks. On Day 2, he dipped to just over 400,000 chips, barely a few big blinds. A timely triple up with pocket kings became the turning point. “This hand was extremely crucial,” he recalled.

Sun navigated the tournament’s turbo structure by staying patient, picking his spots, and punishing mistakes. “I just cherished every big blind,” he said. “During the bubble, I played more aggressively to accumulate chips. Later, I tried to play tighter and capitalize when I had good hands.”

Though this was Sun’s first WPT event, he was thoroughly impressed. “The stage setup at the venue is especially great,” he noted. And now, with a seat to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas secured, this path to glory could just be the beginning, “I’m very happy. If I can successfully get the visa, I will definitely go.”

#7 WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship (3 PACKAGE)

Haoran Sun Wins Inaugural WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship

After five intense days of poker action, China's Haoran Sun emerged victorious as the first ever WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship winner, navigating a marathon 2,337-entry field to claim the title, the trophy, and the lion’s share of the THB 75,488,000 (~USD 2.3M) total travel fund prize pool.



For his incredible performance, Sun takes home THB 11,477,000 (~USD 350,000) in travel fund value along with a coveted must-play seat to the WPT World Championship in Las Vegas later this year. More than any other victory, Sun now becomes part of Thai's poker history, marking an unforgettable run in this truly historic debut in the Kingdom of Thailand.

Total Prize USD

$2,318,364

Total Prize

75,488,000

Entries

2,337

ITM

293

#	Payout	Player
1	11,477,000 $352,480	HS Haoran Sun China
2	7,620,000 $234,025	PZ Philipp Zukernik Canada
3	5,658,000 $173,765	LD Lee Duhan Korea (Republic of)
4	4,231,000 $129,940	HC Hong Cai China
5	3,201,000 $98,310	LX Lee Xiang Wei Alex Singapore
6	2,442,000 $75,000	AK Atsunobu Konishi Japan
7	1,879,000 $57,705	AN Allen Nielsen Denmark
8	1,458,000 $44,780	AA Ashkenazi Amit Israel
9	1,142,000 $35,075	NK Nikhil Kedia India

Check the 292 Payouts & Results ...

WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship Final Table Recap

Due to local regulations capping weekday play at just six hours, the final day of the WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship kicked off with only fourteen players returning to battle through a blistering 20-minute blind structure. With the average stack hovering at just eleven big blinds, the stage was set for one of the fastest final days in WPT history. Within just 35 minutes, the final table of nine was set, and Haoran Sun remained firmly among the top stacks.

Sun wasted no time making his mark, and on the very first hand of the final table, he scored an early knockout, eliminating Nikhil Kedia in 9th place. Kedia had started the day with a single big blind, and managed to grind his way to the final table, booking a remarkable feat of two-for-two appearances in this series. Moments later, Israel’s Ashkenazi Amit hit the rail in 8th after being left crippled by Allen Nielsen in a crucial race.

Knockouts continued in rapid succession, with Nielsen soon finding himself at risk with suited Broadway connectors, only to run into Sun’s pocket kings and fall in 7th place. As the action stayed firmly in preflop territory, Canada’s Philipp Zukernik began to make his move, firstly eliminating Japan’s Atsunobu Konishi in 6th place, followed by a massive double at the expense of Alex Lee with a brutal river three-outer, vaulting him just behind Sun in chips.

The escalating blinds remained the most relentless opponent, and Hong Cai, who began the day with great momentum, soon found himself slowly blinded down to ultimately exit in 4th. With three players left, early chip leader Duhan Lee couldn’t keep up with the pace either, eventually succumbing to the pressure and busting in 3rd place.

In just two hours of final table play, Sun entered heads up with a commanding near 2:1 chip lead and needed only two hands to close it out in stunning fashion. On the final hand, Zukernik moved all-in for his last twelve big blinds with ten-seven, and saw his Chinese opponent step up to the plate with king-seven suited. A dry board sealed the win for Sun, earning him the inaugural WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship title, while leaving Zukernik to settle for a runner up finish.

I’ve been playing against Philipp Zukernik for a long time, and I think he’s the type of player who would push all-in with a wide range of hands. So I judged that my K7 could outperform most of his hand range in that situation, so I chose to call.

At that moment, I knew the Championship was secure. Because I had good luck today and basically didn’t lose any pots, when I saw that my cards could beat his, I was certain that the Championship was mine.

WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition Championship Review

• Date/s: August 1-5, 2025
• Buy-in: Travel Package 3 valued at THB 37,000 (~USD 1,100)
• Guarantee: THB 37,000,000 (~USD 1.1M) travel fund
• Entries: 2,337
• Prize pool: THB 75,488,000 (~USD 2.3M) travel fund
• ITM: 293 places

By the Numbers

• Day 1A: 525 entries, 66 qualified
• Day 1B: 663 entries, 83 qualified
• Day 1C: 598 entries, 75 qualified
• Day 1D: 551 entries, 69 qualified
• Day 2: 292 players, 14 qualified

Backtrack on all the action via SMP Live Updates

Ilja Neuenschwander Takes First Crown

Following a bustling opening day, which saw the registration lines snake past the hall doors, the first event of the series finally made its way to the tables. Dubbed as a THB 3,000,000 (~USD 92,670) freeroll, The Opener drew a total of 677 entries and took another two days of play before a winner was crowned.

While the field was heavily dominated by players hailing within the Asia-Pacific region, it was Swiss player Ilja Neuenschwander who overcame a large chip deficit in heads up play against China’s Junhao Jiang to rise as the first poker champion on Thai soil. Neuenschwander managed a series of double ups before eventually finishing off his Chinese opponent to claim the THB 550,000 (~USD 17,000) in travel funds, along with the prestige of clinching a WPT title.

#1 The Opener

Total Prize USD

$92,300

Total Prize

3,000,000

Entries

677

ITM

85

#	Payout	Player
1	550,000 $16,920	AI Andreewitsch Ilja Neuenschwander Switzerland
2	360,000 $11,075	JJ Junhao Jiang China
3	268,000 $8,245	ZS Zhang Shaofeng China
4	200,000 $6,155	NK Nikhil Kedia India
5	150,000 $4,615	BW Bin Wu China
6	115,000 $3,540	MP Mikhail Potemkin Russian Federation
7	88,000 $2,705	CM Charles Marques United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
8	68,000 $2,090	AC Avi Cohen Israel
9	54,000 $1,660	PM Pratik Modi India

Check the 85 Payouts & Results ...

Last Minute Victory for Eng Keat Ng

Capping the series with a maiden title was Malaysia’s Eng Keat Ng, who jumped into the final side event on schedule, the Last Chance Hyper Turbo, and blazed through the ultra-fast 10-minute structure to seal his name alongside Haoran Sun and Ilja Neuenschwander in this historic debut. Ng outlasted a 368-entry field to claim the biggest payout on the list, securing THB 465,000 (~USD 14,360) in travel funds and his first career trophy – a WPT title, no less.

*All photos courtesy of WPT Prime Thailand Exhibition