BANGKOK — "It doesn't snow in Thailand, but you can carve it so well," Sudakan Jardkaew, 18, a college student, said joyfully, recalling a moment when Chinese visitors came complimented her team's snow sculpture at a contest in Harbin, Heilongjiang province, this month.

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

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

The winning sculpture, "Tuk Tuk on Tour", featured an auto-rickshaw 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.

Tight schedule

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

Sorachai, leading students on the international stage for the first time, said the weather was 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 never having done snow carving before, the team beat the odds by practicing with clay, cement and ice cubes.

"We didn't expect to win, but we wanted to give it our all so that we wouldn't regret it later," Sudakan said.

Taking part in the competition was an eye-opener, she said.

"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, and we were surprised to find that it was delicious."

Araya Chaichuwong, the college's deputy director, said taking part in the contest was driven by a desire to provide students with an inspiring experience. The cultural exchange was an investment in students' growth and a source of pride for Saowabha Vocational College and Thailand, he said.