Thailand has recently received an antique gold crown, part of a Buddha statue believed to be about 500 years old, from the United States, with the help of the Department of Homeland Security, according to Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome.

 

The crown was made of 95% pure gold in the Lanna art form to decorate a stone-sculpted Buddha statue, a popular practice during the period as a religious offering. The crown itself weighs about 42.6g.

 

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The antique crown is now being kept at the National Museum in Bangkok by the Fine Arts Department for study prior to being exhibited in the future, said the minister.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/five-century-old-gold-crown-of-a-buddha-statue-returned-to-thailand-from-us/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2022-06-02

 

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Soon to be sold off to the highest Chinese bidder.

How many in part exchange for a second hand sub, Mr Daley  ? 

Right, another uncompensated confiscation. 

 

Mining that much gold that long ago must have been torturous work. Admirable how impurities were separated without acids. 

46 minutes ago, mvdf said:

Right, another uncompensated confiscation. 

 

Mining that much gold that long ago must have been torturous work. Admirable how impurities were separated without acids. 

Borax ...available since noah

18 hours ago, webfact said:

part of a Buddha statue believed to be about 500 years old

So do they have the statue also, or do they mean that the crown is 500 years old?

18 hours ago, John Drake said:

Soon to be sold off to the highest Chinese bidder.

Or Indian tourists in Pattaya?

Seems like this thread has drifted far away from the OPs subject matter and now degenerated into discussions of prices in the US to living with wealthy people in Bangkok.

 

But on the subject matter its good to seem some priceless artefact returned to their rightful owner but just imagine if that was reciprocated by all nations and/or people who are in possession of other countries artefacts, it would give DHL more business for decades returning said property.

49 minutes ago, mikebell said:

Or Indian tourists in Pattaya?

Then stolen by a ladyboy.

Good....now when Saudis are getting their gold jewelry back??

36 minutes ago, Iamfalang said:

'm in BKK now and only hang out with billionaires.

Your lucky mate---there were 216 Navy Seals deployed in the Veit war----when I lived in Pattaya I used to drink with 600 of them............

Great. Need more of that.

When will emerald Buddha go back to Laos?
Elgin marbles anyone?

On 6/2/2022 at 8:14 AM, John Drake said:

Soon to be sold off to the highest Chinese bidder.

Irrelevant and disgusting

Nice subject - good news. Shame to  see it rubbished

Off-topic post and replies removed.  

 

10 hours ago, daejung said:

Irrelevant and disgusting

Only irrelevant if you have no knowledge of the complexity arising out of returning art and artefacts to countries where their fate is entirely subject to whimsy. For example, what sort of fool would give Buddhist statues to their "home" country, Afghanistan, especially after seeing what happened to the Buddhas of Bamiyan in 2001? Well, the United States, that's who.  It's a pity that so many virtue signaling idiots get swept up in trying to appear all pious and worthy, when their actions will inevitably lead to the destruction or disappearance of items that have been kept safely and made available to the citizens of the world for over a century or more.

Quote

“Crimes of culture involving looted and stolen religious relics, such as the nearly two dozen Buddhist statues being repatriated today to the people of Afghanistan, not only tear at the societal fabric of nations but also deprive millions of believers worldwide of the earliest sacred symbols of their faith,” said District Attorney Cy Vance at the repatriation ceremony attended by the Afghan ambassador to the U.S.  https://www.occrp.org/en/daily/14269-us-returns-33-looted-cultural-artifacts-to-afghanistan