Mr Vunsadej Thavarasukha, Executive Director, Tourism Authority of Thailand Advertising and Public Relations Department (second from left) with the Thai ice-sculpting team, Mr Rerkchai Kaewchinda, Mr Kritsana Wongtes and Kusol Bunkobsongserm		The Sapporo Snow Festival in Hokkaido, one of Japan's largest international winter events, attracts a growing number of visitors from Japan and abroad every year. For the seven days of the famous annual festival held in February, hundreds of ice statues and sculptures, large and small, line Odori Park, the grounds at Satoland, and the main street in Susukino, transforming Sapporo into a winter dreamland of crystal-like ice and white snow. This year, the 58th Sapporo Snow Festival was held from February 6 to 12, and the 34th International Snow Sculpture Contest was held over four days from February 4 to 7. Seventeen international teams representing various regions of the world participated in this year’s contest. The Thai team consisted of representatives from three leading hotels – Mr Rerkchai Kaewchinda of the Conrad Bangkok, Mr Kritsana Wongtes of The Peninsula Bangkok and Kusol Bunkobsongserm of The Shangri-la Hotel, Bangkok.

To mark the special occasion of the 120th anniversary of Japanese-Thai diplomatic relations on 26 September 2007, the very day on which Japan and Siam signed the Declaration of Amity and Commerce in 1887, the Thai team chose to depict two friends, a Thai boy dressed in traditional Thai boxing attire holding hands with a Japanese friend dressed in traditional Sumo attire, as the theme for their ice sculpture. Sumo wrestling and Muay Thai (Thai boxing) are the national sports of the respective countries. The ice sculpture reflects the wishes of the two nations to promote on-going exchange and friendship.

The Thai entry depicting “120 Anniversary of Japan-Thailand Diplomatic Relations 2007” won second prize in the 34th International Snow Sculpture Contest. The Hong Kong team are the winners of the contest.

To further strengthen Thai-Japanese relations, the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s Tokyo office joined hands with HBC – the local television channel and the Self-Defense Force to carve a 30-metre by 15-metre ice sculpture of the Chakri Maha Prasat Throne Hall, a majestic structure located in Bangkok’s Grand Palace that was built by King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) of the Chakri Dynasty.

The first Sapporo Snow Festival was held in 1950, when local high school students built six snow statues in Odori Park. In 1955, the Self-Defence Force joined in and built the first massive snow sculptures, for which the Snow Festival is now known. From these humble beginnings that attracted a modest 50,000 local visitors, the festival has evolved into a major international event. The best known of Hokkaido's winter events, it now attracts some two million visitors and participants far beyond the native town and neighbouring areas.

Recognising this tremendous opportunity to raise the international visibility and awareness of Thailand, promote Thai culture to Japanese and international audiences as well as to generate interest in travel to Thailand, TAT’s Tokyo office has consistently supported the Sapporo Snow Festival and the International Snow Sculpture Contest.

Contact information:
TAT Tokyo
Yurakucho Denki Bldg, South Tower
2Fl., Room No.259, 1-7-1 Yurakucho
Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0006, JAPAN
Tel: (81 3) 3218 1077
Fax: (81 3)3218 0655
E-mail: tattky@tattky.com, tattky@tat.or.th
Web site: www.thailandtravel.or.jp