A team of Thai sculptors won an international snow sculpture contest in Sapporo, Japan on Sunday with a work of art depicting a tuk-tuk, the famous and ubiquitous public transport vehicle known throughout Thailand.
Thai sculptors put the finishing touches to their ice sculpture, "Tthe Ubiquitous Tuk-Tuk". The art piece won the International Snow Sculpture Contest 2015 in Sapporo, Japan. (42nd International Snow Sculpture Contest 2015 photo)
The 42nd International Snow Sculpture Contest 2015 announced "the Ubiquitous Tuk-Tuk", as the winner of the competition this year, beating 11 other teams at the world famous exhibition in Sapporo, the capital of Hokkaido island, in northern Japan.
The Thai team comprise Kusol Bunkobsongserm, Kritsana Wongtes and Amnoaysak Srisuk.
They described their work as a symbol of Thai ingenuity and artistry. "The tuk-tuk is not only for transporting passengers around town, but it also carries the Thai legacy throughout the world," they said on the contest's website.
"Yearning", the ice sculpture from Finland that was the runner-up in the contest. (42nd International Snow Sculpture Contest 2015 photo)
It was the sixth win in the top award for Thailand since 2000. The previous winning ice sculpture was ''Artist from nature'' in 2013.
Finnish sculptors were the runner-up this year with their ''Yearning'' piece.
Tourism Authority of Thailand deputy governor Sukree Sithivanich said this year's art piece reflected enjoyment and the fun of tuk-tuks, which was an experience that tourists should not miss when they come to the kingdom. It also showed "Thainess" to foreigners, he added.
The size of "the Ubiquitous Tuk-Tuk" is 3 metres wide and 3m high and 3m in depth.
The contest is part of the renowned Sapporo Show Festival, which runs until Wednesday.