BANGKOK, Jan. 28 (Xinhua) -- "It doesn't snow in Thailand, but you can carve it so well," Sudakan Jardkaew, an 18-year-old college student, joyfully told Xinhua, recalling a memorable moment when Chinese visitors came up to compliment her team's snow sculpture at a contest in Harbin earlier this month.

Sudakan and her three classmates won the first prize at the 16th international snow sculpture competition for college students, escaping the tropical heat of Bangkok and defying northeastern China's freezing cold winter.

They were among the 57 teams from different countries and regions that participated in the annual event, which was hosted by Harbin Engineering University and Harbin International Ice and Snow Festival from Jan. 4 to 7.

The winning sculpture, titled "Tuk Tuk on Tour," featured an iconic autorickshaw carrying various characters related to Thai culture and traditions, representing elements from various regions of the country on four sides of the snow art, Sudakan said.

The team was running a tight schedule with only three weeks to prepare for the competition under the guidance of 27-year-old Sorachai Chanasuk, their coach and teacher at Saowabha Vocational College.

Leading students to the international stage for the first time, Sorachai said the weather was definitely a challenge.

"We didn't wear thick clothes and gloves when we practiced in Thailand, but we had to wear them when we competed in Harbin. This made it difficult to use our tools effectively."

Despite having no prior experience with snow carving, the team beat the odds by practicing with clay, cement, and ice cubes. ""We agreed that we didn't expect to win, but we wanted to give it our all so that we wouldn't regret it later," Sudakan said.

Joining the competition was a very eye-opening experience, she noted. "We had the opportunity to meet and talk to people from China, and we enjoyed our conversations. The food was also very different from what we are used to in Thailand, but we were surprised to find that it was delicious."

Araya Chaichuwong, the college's deputy director, said the participation in the contest was driven by a desire to provide students with an inspiring experience. The cultural exchange was seen not only as an investment in students' development but also as a source of pride for the educational institution and the country. Enditem

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