Return of Cambodian artefacts delayed

April 20, 2009
The Nation

Due to recent domestic difficulties, Thailand has postponed the repatriation of seven smuggled artefacts to Cambodia.

"The Thai Cabinet will reschedule the return on a later date," Kriengkrai Sampatchalit, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, said yesterday.

Six of the artefacts were due to be sent back with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's one-day visit to Cambodia scheduled for last Saturday.

However, after the Asean Summit with dialogue partners in Pattaya collapsed on April 11 and rioting erupted in Bangkok on the following two days, foreign trips were cancelled.

The Foreign Ministry has already informed Cambodia of the decision, Kriengkrai said.

The seven ancient relics, including the one presented to the Cambodian prime minister in a formal hand-over ceremony in Pattaya on April 10, were still under the department's supervision, he said.

"We have given them proper care," he said.

Six of the pieces are asura (demon) heads while the other one is in the form of deva (angel) head.

Although the treasures have not yet been delivered, their planned homecoming has already warmed frosty ties between the two neighbours.

"The relations between Thailand and Cambodia have been improving since April 10," he said. "Officials and agencies from the two countries are expected to agree on many forms of cooperation soon."

Cambodia intends to submit more documentation to claim 36 other historic objects seized in Thailand.

"As soon as the evidence arrives, we'll work on it," he said.

The restitution of cross-border smuggled artifacts from the Government of Thailand to the Government of Cambodia

11/4/2009
Source: Thai government

H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, handed over one of the seven cross- border smuggled artifacts, seized by the Thai authorities, to Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

On 10 April 2009, H.E. Mr. Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Thailand, handed over one of the seven cross- border smuggled artifacts, seized by the Thai authorities, to Samdech Akka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen, Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Cambodia.

Also witnessed the hand-over ceremony were H.E. Mr. Kasit Priomya, Minister of Foreign Affairs, H.E. Mr. Theera Slukpetch, Minister of Culture, H.E. Mr. Hor Namhong, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia and H.E. Mrs. You Ay, Ambassador of Cambodia to Thailand, who attended the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel, Pattaya.

The seven artifacts are among the fifty pieces intercepted by Thai customs officials in early 2000 as they were being smuggled from Cambodia across the border into Thailand. Since then the authorities of both countries have closely coordinated on this matter, taking into account the internal legal procedures of both countries, particularly in the verification of evidence which required detailed work from both sides. Finally, on 24 February 2009, the Thai Cabinet adopted a resolution to restitute the seven artifacts to the Government of Cambodia in accordance with the Agreement between the Thai and Cambodian governments to combat illicit trafficking and cross-border smuggling of moveable cultural property and to restitute it to the Country of Origin which both countries signed in 2000.

Thais To Hand Over Statue to Hun Sen

Hun Sen kissing one the returned Khmer artefacts

By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Cambodia
10 April 2009

Prime Minister Hun Sen will return from an Asean summit in Thailand Sunday carrying a symbolic statue that signals the return of a handful of stolen artifacts from Cambodia’s ancient past, an official said Friday.

Hun Sen is attending the Asean summit in Pattaya and was scheduled to meet with his Thai counterpart, Abhisit Vejjajiva, Friday afternoon, to reclaim one statue constructed during the rule of King Jayavarman VII, Chuch Phoeung, secretary of state for the Ministry of Culture, told VOA Khmer Friday.

Jayavarman VII built the Bayon temple inside the Angkor temple complex.

The statue will be the first of seven artifacts to be returned, all the heads of gods or giants, taken from Cambodia by artifact thieves and confiscated while in transport in Thailand.

“All seven of the statues were stolen and trafficked out of Cambodia during the war,” said Sri Thamrong, a senior adviser to Hun Sen. “Finally, they were arrested by the Thai authorities and we have shown the Thais documents to prove with evidence that all seven artifacts belong to Cambodia.”

Thai authorities are holding 24 artifacts that are claimed by Cambodia.

Abhisit is expected bring the six remaining statues to Cambodia on a visit later this month.

“We will hold the hand-over ceremony for the ancient Khmer artifacts at the National Museum on April 17,” Chuch Phoeung said.

Thai PM Hands over Smuggled Cambodian Artifacts to Hun Sen

2009-04-10
Xinhua

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Friday handed over to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen one of the seven cross-border smuggled artifacts seized by the Thai authorities.

The hand-over ceremony was held before the opening of the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits at the Royal Cliff Beach Hotel in Pattaya.

The seven artifacts are among the 50 intercepted by Thai customs officials in early 2000 as they were being smuggled from Cambodia across the border into Thailand.

Since then the authorities of both countries have closely coordinated this matter, taking into account the internal legal procedures of both countries.

Finally, on Feb. 24, 2009, the Thai cabinet adopted a resolution to restitute the seven artifacts to the government of Cambodia in accordance with an agreement signed between the two countries to combat against illicit trafficking and cross-border smuggling of movable cultural property and to restitute it to the country of origin which Thailand and Cambodia signed in 2000.

Thai, Cambodian leaders meet in wake of clash

Cambodia's Prime Minster Hun Sen (L) shake hands with Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva in front of a Khmer artefact in Pattaya April 10, 2009. (REUTERS/Sakchai Lalit/Pool)

Fri Apr 10, 2009

PATTAYA, Thailand (Reuters) - The prime ministers of Thailand and Cambodia met briefly on Friday, a week after border clashes killed two Thais, and expressed sorrow over the incident, but a Thai official said there may be future "hiccups".

Soldiers from the two Southeast Asian countries exchanged rocket and rifle fire last Friday on a disputed stretch of their border, the latest flare-up in an ancient feud over the 900-year-old Preah Vihear Hindu temple.

"We don't expect to solve the problem in the next few days, or the next few weeks. Occasionally there will be certain hiccups," Thai government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told reporters after the meeting.

"What we have to do is make sure that the security agencies and forces in the area, that are in and out of the area all the time, understand each other."

After the bilateral meeting on the sidelines of an Asian summit in the Thai beach town of Pattaya, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presented Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen with an ancient Khmer artefact.

The two shook hands, then Hun Sen leaned over to kiss the artefact, a large smiling face apparently made of terracotta.

In February, after an earlier border skirmish, Hun Sen reportedly threatened not to attend the East Asia Summit, which brings together 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) with leaders of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

Thai PM to hand over ancient Khmer artifact to Cambodian PM during ASEAN summits

PHNOM PENH, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Thai Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva will hand over an ancient Khmer artifact to his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen during the ASEAN summits to be held in these days, a senior adviser said here on Friday.

"If the schedule does not change, this afternoon, the two premiers will meet to discuss the bilateral ties and the Thai prime minister will hand over a piece of our ancient Khmer artifact to Prime Minister Hun Sen as a symbol (of our friendship)," Sry Thamrong, advisor to Hun Sen, told reporters prior to the departure of a senior Cambodian delegation for the ASEAN (the Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summits in Pattaya of Thailand.

Later when Abhisit Vejjajiva visits Cambodia on April 18, at least 7 out of 24 pieces of ancient Khmer artifacts will be returned to Cambodia, he said.

"Those Khmer artifacts were stolen and trafficked out of Cambodia, but finally arrested by the Thai authorities. We have shown the Thai side with our documents as proof, so they will return them to us," he said.

During the two premiers' talks, they will also discuss the border issues between the two countries, said the advisor.

In addition, Hun Sen will join the summit meeting of CVL (Cambodian, Laos and Vietnam ) with Japan, which will focus on the development of the Mekong region and the triangle area among the three ASEAN countries, he said.

While in Thailand, Hun Sen will also meet with the Chinese Premier, UN secretary general, Malaysian prime minister and Australian premier over issues of bilateral cooperation, he added.

According to an official press release, the Cambodian delegation for the ASEAN summits includes Prime Minister Hun Sen, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Hor Nam Hong, Commerce Minister Cham Prasidh and other governmental officials.

Seven smuggled Khmer artifacts heading home

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.

Thailand to return smuggled artifacts to Cambodia

Feb 25, 2009
DPA

Bangkok - Thailand's government has decided to return to Cambodia seven artifacts smuggled into the kingdom almost 10 years ago, media reports said Wednesday.

The Thai cabinet approved the diplomatic gesture at its weekly meeting Tuesday, days before Thailand hosts the 14th Summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which will be attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen.

'The return of these artifacts will help strengthen relations between Thailand and Cambodia,' government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told the Bangkok Post newspaper.

The seven items, including busts of Cambodian gods and giants of the 12th or 13th century Bayon style, were part of a shipment of 43 smuggled artifacts intercepted by Thai custom officials at Samut Prakan port in May 2000.

Thailand's Fine Arts Department has verified the seven artifacts as being of Cambodian origin, but is still seeking more evidence to determine the place of origin of the remaining 36 items.

The artifacts will be on display at Bangkok's National Museum until they are returned to Cambodia, at a still unspecified date.

Thai-Cambodian relations have been tempestuous since July, last year, when the two neighbouring countries came to blows over a disputed area in the vicinity of the Pheah Vihear temple, an 11th-century Hindu temple.

Known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, the temple complex was named a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO meeting in Quebec in July despite Thai opposition on the grounds that the area surrounding the temple is still disputed by both nations.

The ancient Hindu temple, perched on a 525-metre-high cliff on the Dangrek Mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, has been the source of a sovereignty dispute for decades.

A row over the temple in 1958 led to a suspension of diplomatic relations in 1958 and eventually ended up in The Hague for an international settlement in 1962.

Cambodia won, but the Hague failed to pass judgement on the area adjacent to the temple.

Last year's renewed dispute led to clashes that claimed five lives and severely strained Thai-Cambodian diplomatic ties.

Thailand to return seized Cambodian artefacts

February 25, 2009
The Nation

The Cabinet yesterday agreed to return seven artefacts to Cambodia in a yet to be scheduled handover ceremony.

Fine Arts Department director-general Kriangkrai Sampatchalit said yesterday that the other 36 items wanted by Cambodia could not yet be returned because more evidence was needed to prove their origin.

"Once more evidence is provided to us, the department will identify and verify these [36] items," he added.

The sandstone artefacts to be returned are an 86-centimetre bust of a goddess and six of demons varying in height from 60cm to 81cm. The busts date back to the 18th century and some are cracked or damaged.

Culture Minister Teera Slukpetch said the artefacts had been intercepted by customs in Samut Prakan province in May 2000, while they were being smuggled into Thailand in sea-freight cargo. They have since been in the custody of the Fine Arts Department pending completion of legal and customs procedures.

There are no details over whether anybody was arrested.

The items will be put on display at the National Museum from today before they are handed over. The Fine Arts Department's permanent secretary Weera Rojphojjanarat said it had not been decided if Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen would be invited to the handover ceremony.

The Culture and Foreign Ministries of both countries are working on diplomatic protocol to have the artefacts returned to Cambodia as soon as possible, reportedly as a sign of goodwill aimed at strengthening bilateral relations that have soured after the Phrea Vihear dispute.

Kriangkrai said the department was pursuing some 100 artefacts of Thai heritage that have reportedly surfaced in other countries.