The Thai won the nerve-tingling match 73-26, 92-24, 0-78, 92-0, 50-60, 33-81, 53-48 with an elegant break of 92 in fourth frame. Asjad chalked up a break of 78 in the third frame.
According to revised draws, 39 players from 18 countries are competing in the annual spectacle. The draws were revised following withdrawal of two Chinese and a Mongolian player at the eleventh hour.
Reigning Pakistan national champion, Mohammad Sajjad, who is also competing in the event, opens his campaign when he figures against a former Pakistan champion Saleh Mohammad, now representing war-trodden Afghanistan on Sunday.
Saleh blanked Naat Thanh Nguyen of Vietnam 4-0 in the group G match on Saturday.
Sajjad's next match will be against Thailand's Yuttapop Pakpoj on Sunday evening.
Asjad also had two matches on the card for Sunday. He faces Daoprachan Phootabandit of Laos in the second match followed by third against Omar Ashiq of Bahrain.
Results
Issara Kachaiwong (Thailand) bt Asjad Iqbal (Pakistan) 4-3 (73-26, 92-24, 0-78, 92-0, 50-60, 33-81, 53-48).
