The trio had all finished on four-under-par 284 on another day of blustery conditions at Pinx Golf Club on the holiday island of Jeju.

During regulation play, Kang had the galleries roaring when he holed out with his approach shot on the par-five 16th for an eagle to grab a one-shot lead at five-under. But he three-putted on the 18th for a bogey five and a final round of 68.

Fernández-Castano ensured there would be a playoff when he calmly parred the 18th for a 69 and Thongchai made it a three-way tie when he drained a six-foot par putt for a 70.

When the trio returned to the 18th for the playoff, Fernández-Castano fired his approach shot to the back edge of the green and his long birdie attempt came up short.

Kang missed an eight-foot putt for birdie and Thongchai, who had set up his chance with an immaculate approach, stepped up and sank the winning putt, raising his arms in triumph.

Thongchai's previous European Tour titles came with back-to-back victories in the Malaysian Open in 2004 and 2005 and the Indonesia Open earlier in the year. The win at The Ballantine's Championship was also his record-extending 12th Asian Tour victory and underlined his standing as one of Asia's greatest ever golfers.