Large Jade Buddha For Sale

[Silversun]

I have seen a large stone/jade buddha for sale in Bangkok that I would like to courier back to the uk.

Firstly is it legally ok to take this out of the country? I am sure it is origionally Chinese as it is the round faced buddha.

Secondly, if it is ok to send back to Europe can ayone reccomend a courrier. I am guessing, but it must be around 50-60 kilko

Timescale is not important, i am guessing with the weight that boat is the answer

many thanks

[GuestHouse]

Strictly speaking it is not illegal to export a Buddha (or other religious item) but you do need to obtain an export permit from the Thai Fine Arts Department. A reputable seller of fine arts should be able to arrange for that.

Large 'Jade' Buddha - Caveat Emptor ..... all that is green is not Jade.

[yabaaaa]

What is the reasoning for not being able to do it without a permit? Antique values?

[CarlBkk]

Interestingly my regular EMS guy had a slight problem with a French customer a few weeks ago. She tried to send several Buddhas out of Thailand back to France without declaring them. EMS guy said it's against the Thai law to export them, but that she could get away with it if using FedEx or another international courier...just not the government service!

[Maizefarmer]

The rule is:

If it is a genuine Thai antique religous relic/statue/Buddha an export license is required - and they are very seldom issued.

IBut for the things you buy off shelves in tourist shops - no paperwork.

But take careful note of what Guesthouse says: All that is green is not always jade ..... - the Thai market is flooded with fake antiques. The Thai Fine Arts Dept do provide a "genuine/fake" service and will quickly be able to tell you if what you have on your hands is genuine or not.

CAVEAT EMPTOR

Edited March 24, 2009 by Maizefarmer

[Lizard]

So it is not a Thai Buddha, but the fat bellied Chinese sunkongji? (happy Buddha)

[yogi]

contact FERRARI N.O.P(THAILAND)CO;LTD-022672759

they will take care for shipment.

good luck

[Silversun]

contact FERRARI N.O.P(THAILAND)CO;LTD-022672759

they will take care for shipment.

good luck

Thanks all

I'll let you know how i got on

[fanta rood]

The right question in this situation is not if its legal to export it but if its ethical to buy it. I take great offense in people who buy religious objects when they them self have nothing to do with the religion at all.

[jrbkk64]

The right question in this situation is not if its legal to export it but if its ethical to buy it. I take great offense in people who buy religious objects when they them self have nothing to do with the religion at all.

Get a life! Why would it offend anyone? People like you are the reason for all the silly hatred between religions!

[easyride]

The right question in this situation is not if its legal to export it but if its ethical to buy it. I take great offense in people who buy religious objects when they them self have nothing to do with the religion at all.

You really want to condemn every Thai who celebrates Christmas too? One of the beauties of Buddhism is it's tolerance.

[thaiwanderer]

permitted or not the OP will have problems

a 60kg statue headed for the UK that the official knows someone values is not simply going to be waved through

[cerowcroft]

Continuing on this theme, please advise if possible:

I bought what was assured to be a copy of an antique buddha with the help of a Thai friend (I specifically asked for a copy as I totally agree with the law that prohibits people from taking antiques out of Thailand without a permit - and I feel uncomfortable about the idea that if I received an image which was stolen from a temple I would not only be possessing stolen goods, but also there would be the moral implications of it having come from a temple and that it may also have someones remains inside it!). However, I have since heard that even fake buddha images are often seized at the airport, and fear that this will happen to my image unless I can somehow prove it is a copy... A Thai art dealer of copies (friend of a friend) has advised that I attempt to bring the item out in my checked in suitcase, as that's what his customers do.

What would you advise? Does anyone have any recent experience of this? I have come up with some choices for what I can possibly do, please advise which is you consider to be best or suggest an alternative. Many thanks for any help.

1) Try to take it in my checked in suitcase as the art dealer suggested (a risk... and I don't feel very comfortable about this as would hate to be accused of exporting a real antique without permit - furthermore if by some cruel chance it was real, I would feel awful and possibly go to prison!)

2) Go to the Fine Arts Department and get the buddha examined and hopefully classified as a copy and I can therefore apply for and receive a permit hopefully within the next week (I only have a week).

3) Perhaps try to secure some kind of receipt from the shop where I bought it assuring it is a fake.

4) Ask my Thai friend to bring the image out of Thailand himself in a few months time (he's coming to visit me anyway, and already kindly offered to do this for me), if stopped he could say it is for a Thai friend in England and for 'religious purposes'.

5) Ask the above Thai friend to apply for a permit for it saying it is his own statue, then bring it out with permit.

Further info: I have no idea how good a copy this image is, it does look old but I know how skilled some Thai craftsmen are at making things look old! One thing of note is that it's interior seems filled with a kind of sawdust resin rather than cement - does this make it more likely to be a copy? I hope so! The image is about as tall as an traditional computer monitor, and it is perhaps half as wide or so, and is Chiang Saen style.

[Maizefarmer]

Continuing on this theme, please advise if possible:

I bought what was assured to be a copy of an antique buddha with the help of a Thai friend (I specifically asked for a copy as I totally agree with the law that prohibits people from taking antiques out of Thailand without a permit - and I feel uncomfortable about the idea that if I received an image which was stolen from a temple I would not only be possessing stolen goods, but also there would be the moral implications of it having come from a temple and that it may also have someones remains inside it!). However, I have since heard that even fake buddha images are often seized at the airport, and fear that this will happen to my image unless I can somehow prove it is a copy... A Thai art dealer of copies (friend of a friend) has advised that I attempt to bring the item out in my checked in suitcase, as that's what his customers do.

What would you advise? Does anyone have any recent experience of this? I have come up with some choices for what I can possibly do, please advise which is you consider to be best or suggest an alternative. Many thanks for any help.

1) Try to take it in my checked in suitcase as the art dealer suggested (a risk... and I don't feel very comfortable about this as would hate to be accused of exporting a real antique without permit - furthermore if by some cruel chance it was real, I would feel awful and possibly go to prison!)

2) Go to the Fine Arts Department and get the buddha examined and hopefully classified as a copy and I can therefore apply for and receive a permit hopefully within the next week (I only have a week).

3) Perhaps try to secure some kind of receipt from the shop where I bought it assuring it is a fake.

4) Ask my Thai friend to bring the image out of Thailand himself in a few months time (he's coming to visit me anyway, and already kindly offered to do this for me), if stopped he could say it is for a Thai friend in England and for 'religious purposes'.

5) Ask the above Thai friend to apply for a permit for it saying it is his own statue, then bring it out with permit.

Further info: I have no idea how good a copy this image is, it does look old but I know how skilled some Thai craftsmen are at making things look old! One thing of note is that it's interior seems filled with a kind of sawdust resin rather than cement - does this make it more likely to be a copy? I hope so! The image is about as tall as an traditional computer monitor, and it is perhaps half as wide or so, and is Chiang Saen style.

I am no expert on the subject but having lived here for many years and having a fairly decent collection of Thai religous relics and bits 'n pieces - heres my take

Nope - worst case scenario: confiscation - so make sure you get a receipt from the dealer for the amount paid, and which describes the piece you have purchased

Take it and the recepit/description down to the TFAD (Thai Fine Arts Dept) and get a written appriasal from them - thats their job and the opinion they express is good for Thai Customs.