Some of the artifacts being returned to Cambodia.25/02/2009
By ANUCHA CHAROENPO AND LAMPHAI INTATHEP
Bangkok Post
Thailand will return to Cambodia seven Khmer artifacts seized by Thai authorities nearly 10 years ago.
The decision to return the objects was approved by the cabinet meeting in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi yesterday. It was in line with a Thai-Cambodian agreement to return all cultural properties to their country of origin.
The seven sandstone pieces are among 43 items thought to have been smuggled into Thailand. These seven objects are the only ones verified by the Fine Arts Department as being from Cambodia, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.
The rest were being examined and would be returned if they were found to be from Cambodia, he said.
All seven are part of the heads of ancient Khmer deities and giants made in the Bayon style.
"The return of these artifacts will help strengthen relations between Thailand and Cambodia," Mr Panitan said.
Fine Arts Department chief Kriengkrai Sampatchali echoed the view, saying: "It is a good step to improve ties between the two countries after the long dispute over the Preah Vihear temple."
The decision was made ahead of the summit this weekend of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Cambodia and Thailand among its members.
The cabinet has not yet scheduled the return date, only telling Foreign Ministry officials to contact their Cambodian counterparts about the return.
The 43 smuggled Khmer artifacts were intercepted by customs officials at a port in Samut Prakan in May 2000. They were handed over to the Fine Arts Department to determine their country of origin. Cambodia was then asked to verify the findings.
The two countries stepped up efforts on the verification process after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen asked then prime minister Samak Sundaravej to return the smuggled artifacts during his official visit to Cambodia last year.
The decision to return the objects was approved by the cabinet meeting in Cha-am district of Phetchaburi yesterday. It was in line with a Thai-Cambodian agreement to return all cultural properties to their country of origin.
The seven sandstone pieces are among 43 items thought to have been smuggled into Thailand. These seven objects are the only ones verified by the Fine Arts Department as being from Cambodia, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.
The rest were being examined and would be returned if they were found to be from Cambodia, he said.
All seven are part of the heads of ancient Khmer deities and giants made in the Bayon style.
"The return of these artifacts will help strengthen relations between Thailand and Cambodia," Mr Panitan said.
Fine Arts Department chief Kriengkrai Sampatchali echoed the view, saying: "It is a good step to improve ties between the two countries after the long dispute over the Preah Vihear temple."
The decision was made ahead of the summit this weekend of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, which includes Cambodia and Thailand among its members.
The cabinet has not yet scheduled the return date, only telling Foreign Ministry officials to contact their Cambodian counterparts about the return.
The 43 smuggled Khmer artifacts were intercepted by customs officials at a port in Samut Prakan in May 2000. They were handed over to the Fine Arts Department to determine their country of origin. Cambodia was then asked to verify the findings.
The two countries stepped up efforts on the verification process after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen asked then prime minister Samak Sundaravej to return the smuggled artifacts during his official visit to Cambodia last year.
7 comments:
Welcome HOME Angels. O
ur big brother China will spank the vietnamese so hard from the sea this time.
Good new for HE PM Taksin.
our not o ur
Now ah Siam needs to return Surin and sisaket, back to Cambodia.
Ah thef siam always stole the statues from cambodia and displayed to the world that they are the ones who made it. Ah bastard siam thieves.
Shut the fuck up, Ah Pleu. Who asked you to smuggle all the shit into Thailand in the first place?
If you voted for CPP (Cambodian People's Party):
Also known as:
Communist People's Party
Khmer Rouge People's Party
Khmer Krorhorm People's Party
You're support the killing of 1.7 million innocent Khmer peoples.
You're support the killing of innocent men, women and children in Cambodia on March 30, 1997.
You're support murder of Piseth Pilika.
You're support assassination of journalists in Cambodia.
You're support political assassination and killing.
You're support attemted assassination and murder of leader of the free trade union in Cambodia.
You're support corruption in Cambodia.
You're support Hun Sen Regime burn poor people's house down to the ground and leave them homeless.
These are the Trade Mark of Hun Sen Regime.
Hun Sen, Chea Sim and Heng Samrin are Khmer Rouge commanders.
When is the ECCC going to bring these three criminals to U.N. Khmer Rouge Trail?
Khmer Rouge Regime is a genocide organization.
Hun Sen Regime is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Bodyguards is a terrorist organization.
Hun Sen Death Squad is a terrorist organization.
Cambodian People's Party is a terrorist organization.
I have declare the current Cambodian government which is lead by the Cambodian People's Party as a terrorist organization.
Whoever associate with the current Cambodian government are associate with a terrorist organization.
Is Thailand trying to keep Cambodia's artifacts? Khmer artifacts are very unique; if these artifacts are of Khmer origin, they should be returned to Cambodia. For Thailand to ask Cambodia to verify all those sculptures are impossible... as Cambodia do not have all the records for them yet. I urge Thailand to make peace with Cambodia by treating Cambodia fairly with respect and as a good neighbor.
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