Thailand hopefully to get back over 60 looted Thai artworks from overseas

By PHATARAWADEE PHATARANAWIK 
THE NATION

 

Thailand is calling for the return from the US of a prominent 11th-century stone lintel from Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaew province.

 

THAILAND IS hoping to recover 60 looted Thai artifacts from overseas, the Culture Ministry announced yesterday.

 

 

“The ministry’s ad hoc committee has called for the repatriation of dozens of artefacts that originated in Thailand from leading US museums and a UK museum,” Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat said at a press conference at the National Library in Bangkok. 

 

“After a one-year investigation aimed at bringing hundreds of looted Thai art pieces from the US, we are expecting to get back more that 60 heritage artworks in the near future,” he said.

 

 

Vira said the Prayut Cha-o-cha government had called for the return of 705 looted artefacts from museums in the US and Australia. 

 

Fine Art Department director Ananda Chuchoti said the pieces are expected to be coming home include two 11th-century stone lintels, |one from Prasat Nong Hong in |Buri Ram and the other from Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaew. They are currently in the permanent collection of the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

 

Also anticipated are 18 Buddha statues and sculptures in the collections of such top institutions as New York’s Metropolitan Art Museum and the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California, as well as the Asian Art Museum.

 

“These masterpieces include an 8th-century bronze statue of the preaching Buddha called Avalokitesvara, taken from Prasat Hin Khao Bat II in Buri Ram,” archaeologist Tanongsak Hanwong, a member of the ad hoc ministry committee, told The Nation. “It is currently with the Metropolitan Art Museum in New York.”

 

Four other stone architectural artefacts taken from Buri Ram’s Prasart Panomrung and Nakhon Ratchasima’s Prasat Hin Pimai are also expected to return.

 

“More importantly,” said Tanongsak, “the government also determined that a 13-century Buddha statue now at London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies is Thai art and is in the process of calling for its return.”

 

 

Ananda said the government was able to provide photographic and other verification of several artefacts’ origin to the US Department of Homeland Security as requested. 

 

American collector Lisette Christiansen and Thai physician Santi Viboonmongkol, who both keep collections in the US, intend to return 38 prehistoric artefacts, including Baan Chiang pottery, to the government.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30357617

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-11-01

I wouldn't return anything until there is an elected government.

How were these items "looted"?  More likely sold at a handsome profit.
I agree that the items belong in their historical and cultural setting, but the "looted" terminology is at direct odds with Thailand's proud distinction of never having been colonized, etc.
Let's put it in perspective, that some Thais in the past were likely more cognizant of a quick baht than they were of their cultural heritage. Those statues, for instance, were not quietly slipped into someone's pocket. There had to be some sort of collusion going on.

 

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Ananda said the government was able to provide photographic and other verification of several artefacts’ origin to the US Department of Homeland Security as requested. 

Good to see Homeland Security evolving into something less sinister...

       I expect these items were 'looted' by the America

 

ns during the Vietnam War. The Narai lintel from Prasant Pnom Rung temple in Buriram certainly was.It is suspected that these things were transported back to American in military aircraft. Statues and lintels aren't things that you can slip into your pocket.

       It took a great deal of money to 'buy back' the Narai lintel from the American museum where it ended up. I wonder if the Thais will have to 'compensate' the museums if they can sucessfully get them back.

As a gesture to show sincerity, is Thailand going to return Emerald Buddha to original owners?