Exporting Buddha Images?

[Shah Jahan]

I have two questions about shipping Buddha Images overseas, perhaps someone can clarify the policies.

1) I came from India into Thailand with a collection of Thangkas...these are Buddha Paintings from Tibet (some old) ...... and I am selling these retail over the internet. shipping them one by one. Is the prohibition of Buddha Images just for Thai Buddha or for all Buddha? (note: Any Thai Buddhist would be able to figure out that these paintings did not originate in Thailand)

2) Am I allowed to Ship individually NEW Buddha Statues and Buddha Heads. (I have had ten different people tell me ten different things on this.) If the answer is yes, then am I allowed to ship NEW Teak Buddha Statues etc..

Thank you in Advance

S. Jahan

URL is commercial and not permitted / Admin

[lingling]

You need a permit from the Department of Fine Arts, Ministry of Education to export _or_ import Buddha images. You need two photographs of the object to be imported or exported, your passport and an application form to get the permit.

[chuchok]

pay the money to the right people and you need no permit at all

[frequentatore]

Ship individually NEW Buddha Statues and Buddha Heads. 

What about Buddha statues sold to tourists? (wood, bronze...) I heard that even those could be confiscated at the airport???

True or not?

[haha]

check out the info on the following website....

http://www.thai-la.net/legalize/antique.htm

[stroll]

All religious images, old and new, require a permit (see above), except small 'amulets' to be worn on the person.

In practise, there isn't much of a problem. Some post offices will inspect the content of your parcel, and may not let you send your 'Buddhas'. Courier services are more cooperative, but may refuse also.

[Fraktalkid]

Does anyone know the precise definition of the words 'buddha image'? Does this cover, say paintings of buddhist images?

[Ajarn]

Does anyone know the precise definition of the words 'buddha image'? Does this cover, say paintings of buddhist images?

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The law says all art, too. Guess that includes paintings. I also understand that buddha images from other countries (like your thonka images) are not required to have the export permits.

Many years ago, I was in an xray que at the airport. A lady in front of me was questioned about a buddha statue in her carry-on bag. She told him that she was taking it home to put in her garden as a decoration. They took it away from her..

I also had a reclining buddha statue in my bag... When it got to my turn, I told him I was Buddhist (true) and was taking it home to place on my altar. No problem, in my case...

[chuchok]

The Truth of the matter, is that without a permit to export, it is illegal to remove Buddha images from the kingdom.(unless it is for a Buddhist)

Like many other things here, what is permitted and what actually happens are two different things.

If you send by courier and you are caught without a permit, then you will be in deep doodoo.

Many Freight companies here in CM will send for you for a fee. Some get permits, some grease palms.

I was told by somebody who was "in the know", that the going rate for a container load was THB25000.

I was also told by an Antique shop owner, that for small items they did not get a permit as by shipping SMS was much easier......