Thailand men's national ice hockey team

Lore & Background

The Thailand national ice hockey team has been entered in the World Championship tournaments since 2019, with their first appearance resulting in a 49th place finish (3rd in Division III, Qualification). The 2020 and 2021 tournaments were cancelled due to the coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemics. The team achieved promotion by winning Division III, Group A in 2024, finishing 41st overall, and subsequently competed in Division II, Group B in 2025, placing 40th. They have not participated at any Olympic Games.

The team has a long history in the Challenge Cup of Asia, a regional tournament for lower-tier hockey nations, with notable results including runners-up finishes in 2009, 2012, and 2018, and third-place finishes in 2010, 2011, and 2017. They also competed in ice hockey at the SEA Games, winning gold in 2019 and silver in 2017 and 2025.

The majority of Thailand's national hockey players play in the Bangkok Ice Hockey League (BIHL), founded in 2014, with practices and games held at two rinks inside shopping malls: Central Rama 9 and Imperial World in Samrong. The team includes players as young as 15 years old. Queen Suthida of Thailand is known as a big ice hockey enthusiast and supporter of the team.

Reader's Guide

The Thailand national ice hockey team represents a developing hockey nation in Southeast Asia, with its activities centered around the Bangkok Ice Hockey League (BIHL), founded in 2014. The team's progress is marked by its entry into IIHF World Championship tournaments in 2019 and its promotion to Division II, Group B in 2025 after winning Division III, Group A in 2024. The team's participation in the Challenge Cup of Asia since 2008, with multiple podium finishes including runners-up in 2009, 2012, and 2018, demonstrates its regional competitiveness. The team also achieved success at the SEA Games, winning gold in 2019. The team's development is supported by Queen Suthida of Thailand, a known ice hockey enthusiast. The reliance on mall-based rinks for practices and games highlights the unique infrastructure challenges and opportunities for the sport in Thailand. The team's ranking of 51st in the IIHF World Rankings and 7th in the Asian Ice Hockey Ranking reflects its current standing among lower-tier hockey nations.

Did You Know?

• The team's practices and games are held at rinks inside two Bangkok shopping malls: Central Rama 9 and Imperial World in Samrong.
• Queen Suthida of Thailand is a known ice hockey enthusiast and supporter of the team.
• Thailand won the gold medal in ice hockey at the 2019 SEA Games.