Thailand, China Partner On Ice Hockey Development

Thailand's national women's ice hockey team arrived in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China on July 3, 2025, to participate in a training and exchange program running through July 16. The visit came following a formal invitation from the Heilongjiang Province Sports Bureau.

The program was coordinated and supported by the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association, which played a critical role in connecting Thai and Heilongjiang sports agencies. The initiative gives Thai female athletes the chance to train in a standard facility, learn China's athlete development methods, and build the foundation for long-term ice hockey cooperation between Thailand and China.

This visit is more than a training camp for Thailand's national women's team—it marks the beginning of a comprehensive long-term partnership. Plans include signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU), organizing official friendly matches in Thailand, exchanging coaching staff, developing youth programs, and collaborating on sports science initiatives.

The Thai Ice Hockey Association prioritizes athlete welfare and is committed to providing female athletes with proper, safe, and standard training environments. This program represents another major step in systematically developing Thailand's national women's team at all levels.

Both the Thai Ice Hockey Association and the Chinese Ice Hockey Association are members of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), reflecting development of the sport under international standards. Looking ahead, Thailand's Ice Hockey Association and the Thai-Chinese Friendship Association will work with Heilongjiang's foreign affairs office, sports bureau, mass sports promotion center, ice hockey association, and Harbin's sports authority to implement a three-year ice hockey development plan covering youth training, men's and women's national teams, coaching development, sports science, and continuous bilateral exchanges.