Team Canada defeated the World Team 6-4 in a charity hockey game held in early January at “The Rink”, located on the 7^th floor of the Central Grand Rama IX shopping centre. Team Canada was composed of Canadian expats based in Thailand, plus three visiting Canadian MPs (Patrick Brown – Barrie, Andrew Saxton – North Vancouver, & Randy Hoback – Prince Albert), and ex-Trustee Justin Heran from Simcoe County. The World team was a collection of American, Czech, English, Finnish, German, and Swedish players. It was also boosted by the addition of Chicago Black Hawk defenseman, Johnny Oduya, who soon after the game flew back to North America to participate in the abbreviated NHL season.

Team Canada was in tough for this game because the World squad featured the Flying Farangs top line of Swede Henrik Olofsson, Czech Jurg Dudler, Thai national Tewin “Thor” Chartsuwan plus defensemen Oduya and Swiss national Remo Nyffenegger. This line had led the Farangs to their first ever Land of Smiles tournament victory back in October.            

Philip Calvert, Canada’s new ambassador to Thailand, dropped the puck for the ceremonial face-off between Flying Farang co-captain and outgoing TCCC board member Todd Switzer and World Team captain Oduya. The TCCC was also represented by board members Derek van Pelt and John Casella and advisor and Flying Farang co-captain Geoff McIntyre.

Marc Spiegel, the President of the Thai-Finnish Chamber of Commerce, was the MC for the evening and handled the introductions in both Thai and English. Attending the game were Thai Senator Tassana Boontong, The President of Thailand-Canada Parliamentarian Friendship Group and MP Udomlak Pengnorapat, the vice-president of that organization. 

The Canadian team jumped out to an early lead in the game and hung on with some stellar goaltending from Lance Parker, who had done yeoman’s work to help promote the game. Canadian MP Patrick Brown dominated play when he was on the ice. The World Team fought back to within one goal through the determined effort of Oduya, and the strong goaltending of Czech Ambassador Victor Grepl but in the end the Canadian bench proved too strong for the World Team and Thai goalie Pattarapol “Dream” Ungkulpattanasuk, playing for Team Canada, made a number of sensational saves in the third stanza to seal the win for the Canadian team for the second year running.             

Organizer Scott Murray said, “We had an active NHL player, the Canadian ambassador to drop the puck, three serving Canadian MPs playing, and a Thai senator and MP in attendance, what more could you want?  Referees Sakchai Chinanuvatana and Mike Lashbrook also did a great job of maintaining order in the game when it looked like things might get out of hand.”

The game raised Bt58,474  for the Thai Red Cross. This was the third charity game to help the Red Cross, the first was in January 2005 to benefit tsunami victims, and the second was last year to benefit Bangkok flood victims.

In a thrilling charity hockey game held recently to raise money for Thai flood victims Team Canada defeated the World Team 7-5. The game launched “The Rink”, a new ice skating facility located on the 7^th floor of the Central Grand Rama IX shopping centre. Team Canada was composed of Canadian expats based in Thailand, plus four visiting Canadian MPs (Patrick Brown – Barrie, Andrew Saxton – North Vancouver, Brian Jean – Fort McMurray, and Blaine Calkins – Edmonton ), and ex-Trustee Justin Heran from Barrie. The World team was a collection of American, Czech, English, Finnish, German, Norwegian and Swedish players. It was also boosted by the top line from the Thai National Team, which won silver at the Asian Winter Games in Kazakhstan in 2011.          

John Casella, President of the TCCC, and one of the Flying Farang players was one of the VIPs introduced at the beginning of the game. As was Jennifer May, Canada’s Charge d’affaires, who represented the Canadian Embassy at the event decked out in a Montreal Canadians jersey.

The Canadian team fell behind 2-0 early in the game; then rallied with four straight goals to take the led 4-2. MP Brown scored on a beautiful slapshot to tie the game at 2 and Kirk Nell tipped in a clearing pass to put the Canadians in the led. The World team rallied to within one scoring to trail only 4-3. But the Canadians seemed to draw energy from a skirmish in front of the World net and exploded for three goals in quick succession to take a commanding 7-3 lead. The World squad later two added goals late in the game to make the final score a respectable 7-5.

Thomas Doucet was in goal for Canada during the first period, Simon Halverson during the second period and Lance Parker was in net in the third. Fourteen-year-old Halverson, the son of RCMP officer Gary Halverson, was particularly brilliant during stretches of the second frame when the World team stormed the net trying to tie the score.                     

The BNH mascots were on hand delivering good cheer as they worked the crowd. Everyone seemed to enjoy the show, especially the Canadian MPs who were presented with their own personal Flying Farang jerseys before the game.

Organizer Scott Murray said, “We were on pins and needles up until game time because the Zamboni was broken, but in the end it all worked out and everyone had a good time. The Flying Farangs would like to thank Khun Noi of The Rink, Sakchai Chinanuvatana and Scott Whitcomb, without whose help we could not have staged this game.”

The game raised Bt70,990.25 for the Thai Red Cross in support of flood relief.