Queen to play in special match

Their Majesties the King and Queen will attend a friendly ice hockey game between Thailand and China on Sunday.
The game, which will take place at the Thailand International Ice Hockey Arena, is to celebrate the auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King’s 72nd birthday and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Her Majesty the Queen will join the Thai national team and participate in the match.
“To celebrate His Majesty the King’s 72nd birthday and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, a friendly ice hockey game between Thailand and China will be held on Sunday,” said Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul, a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), during a press conference on Tuesday.
“I would like to thank Mr Sorawong Thienthong, Minister of Tourism and Sports, His Excellency Mr Han Zhiqiang, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Thailand, ML Krisada Kasemsunt, president of the Ice Hockey Association of Thailand, Dr Gongsak Yodmani, governor of the Sports Authority of Thailand, and the Chinese Ice Hockey Association for the support for this special event.
“The game is an important step in the history of ice hockey for both Thailand and China. It will help strengthen the ties between the two nations through sport and cultural cooperation.
“Also, it is such a great honour for the sport of ice hockey since the Queen has agreed to become Ambassador for Women’s Ice Hockey following an initiative from the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF),” Khunying Patama added.
“The government and the Tourism and Sports Ministry focus on the importance of strengthening the ties between Thailand and China through sport and tourism and that is where the idea of having a friendly ice hockey game between the two nations came about,” said Tourism and Sports Minister Sorawong.
“Members of the royal family also play an important role in building strong ties between Thailand and China and on this occasion their Majesties the King and Queen will attend the game and the Queen will play for the Thai team. This will be a huge boost to the development of women’s ice hockey not only in Thailand, but also in Asia and the world,” he added.
Mr Han said, “On the occasion of the National Day of China on Oct 1, a special friendly ice hockey match between China and Thailand is not only a sport exchange between China and Thailand but also an auspicious occasion to celebrate a great relationship between the two nations.
“China’s women ice hockey team are one of the strongest teams in the world and they have been successful in many international tournaments in the past several years. Forty Chinese women’s ice hockey players will come and play in Thailand for the first time, reflecting the great sporting relationship between the two nations,” he added.