Stolen And Fleeed To The United States, Two Thai Historic Artifacts Return

JAKARTA - Thailand held a ceremony to welcome the return of two ancient hand-carved artifacts, which were stolen decades ago and smuggled into the United States.

In a ceremony held in Bangkok on Monday, May 31, a Khmer-style stone carving weighing 680 kilograms was displayed. This historic artifact once adorned the Asian Arts Museum in San Francisco, United States.

However, in line with the agreement reached between the United States Government and the San Francisco authorities in February, it was agreed to return this artifact to its native land, Thailand.

This return coincides with a notification by Thai authorities to US authorities regarding the theft of two artifacts that served as engravings on doorways and date back to the 10th and 11th centuries AD.

"Today is the day they are finally returned to their home countries and displayed here," Thailand's Culture Minister Itthiphol Kunplome said at a ceremony in Bangkok.

The artifact, classified as a sandstone lintel, was once part of the structure of two religious shrines in northeastern Thailand, namely the historic structure of Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaeo and Prasat Nong Hong in Buri Ram.

After thorough inspection, the two artifacts will be exhibited at the Bangkok National Museum, near the Grand Palace for three months. After that, the Thai government will assess whether they can be returned to their original location or not.

Meanwhile, the case is seen as a precedent for the return of other historical artifacts that were also objects of theft.

"This is a legal battle that has set an excellent example for museums that still have Thai artifacts illegally. Because they know they will lose the case," said Tanongsak Hanwong, who discovered and pushed for the return of these artifacts.

"Many museums have chosen to reach out to initiate the return process rather than enter into legal proceedings," he said.