As much as I love writing NHL stories and articles about teams and players in the major European hockey countries, my absolute favorite is when I get to write about hockey in places where you wouldn't think the sport even existed.

There are always fascinating stories to discover and researching each of these articles is a learning experience for me.

Hockey doesn't get much more exotic and unexpected than in Thailand.

Earlier this year, the Thai national hockey team drew some attention overseas when they lost 52-1 to Kazahkstan at the Asian Winter Games in China.

A little perspective is needed, however. Kazakhstan (Borat jokes aside) is a borderline Division I/ top 16 country in international hockey. The nation has produced several NHL players and the national team is comprised of people who play hockey for a living.

Thailand has a tropical climate and only has about 40 adult male players, which makes it pretty hard to create a national team. But these guys-- some of whom learned to play with taped together broken sticks and mismatched second-hand gloves-- are absolutely devoted to the sport.

Equally impressive is the work of a group (originally a single team) calling itself the Flying Farangs. "Farang" means foreigner in Thai. They are expatriate Canadians, Americans, Swedes, Finns, Czechs, Japanese and a host of other nationalities.

For all intents and purposes, the continued existence of Thai hockey is due to the Farangs.

If you go to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, check out the exhibit on hockey around the world. There's a Flying Farangs jersey on display.

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