Michael Hoey is three shots off leader Miguel Angel Jimenez after round two of the True Thailand Classic.
The Irishman, who was the overnight leader, shot a level-par 72.
Damien McGrane moved up the leaderboard after carding a 67 to leave him on three under par.
Jimenez leads the inaugural tournament by a shot.
The veteran Spaniard, who was struggling with illness, carded a six-under-par 66 to go with his 67 on Thursday, leaving him a stroke ahead of Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
He signed for a 67 to move into the thick of the contention, but remains in the shadow of Jimenez overall, and it would have been a bigger deficit were it not for the European's last-hole bogey.
"I'm very happy. I am disappointed to make bogey on the last but overall I played very solid and made a lot of birdies. You're always happy when you're under par - and the more under par you are, the happier you are," said Jimenez on the tournament's official website.
"I have a heavy cold and I'm very bunged up and slept terribly last night, but apart from that I'm fine."
Three players are tied for third, with Richard Lee, Scott Hend and home favourite Thongchai Jaidee on nine under.
England's Tom Lewis is three shots off the lead on eight under after a 67, with compatriot Matthew Baldwin and Hoey tied alongside him on the same score.
Thailand's Panuphol Pittayarat missed the cut but goes home with a new luxury townhouse worth close to £225,000.
His hole in one on the par-three 14th means he picked up the prize as a reward.
