The home team, which features all the best Thai players, got off to a great start when world No 4 Ratchanok Intanon used her superior game to beat world No 55 Luise Heim 21-12 21-16 in front of 2,000 fans.

“I was a bit excited as this is my first time playing at home this year,” said the former world No 1, whose last appearance in a home event was when she won the Thailand Open last June.

“I was nervous as we are expected to win at home. The team event is different from [playing as an] individual as no one in the team wants to lose their matches.

“We have to keep going, even if we lose one match, we will try to continue fighting and win the next match,” said the 2013 world champion, who was briefly tested by the German early in the second game before her class prevailed.

“She has a good fighting spirit. She fights for every point,” added Ratchanok who has now set her sights on topping the group. “Sometimes I just tried to play like I normally do during practice to get my momentum on the court.  But I control my mental condition quite well. I kept fighting to win point by point, no matter what.”

Thailand won its second point when Jongkolphan Kittitharakul and Rawinda Prajongjai came back from a second-game lapse to beat Isabel Herttrich and Carla Nelte 21-12 12-21 21-10.

Thai No 2 singles player Nitchaon Jindapol, the world No 11, then clinched overall victory, putting Thailand 3-0 up, by seeing off the 74th-ranked Yvonne Li 21-12 21-18.

Thailand did not relent, even after clinching the tie, however.

Puttita Supajirakul and Sapsiree Taerattanachai won the fourth rubber, beating Johanna Goliszewski and Lara Kaepplein 21-14 21 – 12.

Then world No 22 Busanan Ongbamrungphan completed a whitewash, beating the 86th-ranked Fabienne Deprez 21-13 21-8.

Thailand next plays Hong Kong at 7pm on Monday before its group finale against Taiwan on Wednesday.

In the other Group B round-robin tie, world No 1 Tai Tzu-ying led Taiwan to a 4-1 win over Hong Kong.

In Group A, top seeds Japan led by world No 2 Akane Yamaguchi and reigning world champion Nazomi Okuhara, thrashed Australia 5-0, taking less than 30 minutes to win each rubber.

In Group C, third-seeded South Korea toppled Mauritius 5-0.

In the men’s Thomas Cup competition, 13-time champions Indonesia, spearheaded by world No 13 and 2018 Indonesia Masters champion Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, thrashed Canada 5-0 in Group B without dropping a single game in any of the rubbers.

In Group A, India paid the price for sending second-string players, losing 4-1 to France.

The Thai men’s team lost to South Korea on Sunday and follow up against Indonesia at 7pm on Tuesday.