The Pan Pacific Series 2026, an international ice hockey tournament for players under the age of 16, has officially concluded. The competition featured four nations: host New Zealand, Australia, Hong Kong, and Thailand. Team Thailand finished the tournament in fourth place.
Despite their fourth-place finish, Thailand’s young ice hockey players delivered an impressive performance, defeating hosts New Zealand in the opening game. Meanwhile, Andrew Phong, captain of Thailand’s U-16 national team, earned the Best Defenseman Award of the tournament.
“Bam” Janista Liewchalermwong, manager of Thailand’s U-16 national team, said that all players performed to the best of their abilities. Although the team ultimately finished fourth, the most important outcome was the opportunity to gain experience and learn from competing at the international level.
“All of our players gave their best performances. Although we finished fourth, we managed to defeat hosts New Zealand in the opening game. It must be acknowledged that most of our Thai players still have limited experience competing at the international level, but they all have a fighting spirit.”
The Thai team manager added that the players also faced several challenges, including adjusting to the time difference between Thailand and New Zealand, as well as weather conditions that caused several players to fall ill. Nevertheless, everyone continued to give their best throughout the competition.
“As for the results, we did not place our primary expectations on the final rankings. Our main goal was to give the players the opportunity to compete on the international stage representing Thailand’s national team. This is a valuable experience that they can use to improve themselves in the future.”
In addition, the coaching staff ensured that all players had opportunities to take to the ice, allowing Thailand’s young athletes to experience real-game situations, learn how to cope with stronger opponents, and identify ways to improve their skills in preparation for higher-level competitions.
Looking ahead, Thailand is interested in bidding to host next year’s Pan Pacific Series U-16 tournament. Hosting the event would not only give Thailand’s young ice hockey players the opportunity to compete on home ice but also provide an important opportunity to promote tourism and stimulate the national economy through an international sporting event.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s U-14 national team will next compete in the One Hockey, 14th PEE WEE & BANTAM International Tournament 2026, scheduled to take place in Australia from November 2–7, 2026.
