Thailand's lost treasures turn home: antique statues on the way!

Thailand's lost treasures turn home: antique statues on the way!

Phanom Rung, Thailand - Thailand is preparing for the return of four ancient bronze statues, which were originally stolen from temple ruins in the northeast of the country in the 1960s. The pieces are part of the so -called practical chai treasure, which was significantly damaged by looting. These statues, which are dated to the 7th and 9th centuries, will soon be returned to Thailand in the San Francisco Asian Art Museum by the Asian Art Commission. The approval for this return was granted on April 22, 2022, and the statues are expected within one month or two in Thailand.

The artifacts are now distributed worldwide in various museums and collections, especially in the USA, Europe and Australia. Douglas Latchford, a British antique dealer, is accused of illegal to have carried out the statues. Latchford died in 2020 before he was able to answer in court for antiques smuggling. His daughter returned an impressive collection of over 100 artifacts worth more than $ 50 million in Cambodia in 2021.

return and effects

The return of the four statues is considered a significant success for Thailand, which has made progress in the recovery of stolen cultural heritage from US museums in recent years. This opens up the possibility of recovering further artifacts from the Practice Chai Schatzes. While Thailand is actively looking for the lost pieces, Greece has had less success with the recovery process of the Elgin Marbles from the British Museum. "Colonialism in parts of the art world remains an issue," explains Tess Davis from the antiquities coalition. In this context, awareness of the origin of works of art is increasingly criticized, since museums often hold back stolen pieces.

The four statues not only represent the cultural heritage of Thailand, but are also proof of the country's Buddhist roots. A spokesman for the Asian Art Museum noticed that three of the four pieces were acquired by Spink in the 1960s. This reflects the poor results for the return, since none of the practical chai statues is currently exhibited in Thai museums, which further increases the pressure on the authorities.

success and challenges

In 2024, Thailand successfully won two 1,000-year-old sandstone Lintel from the Asian Art Museum, which was stolen half a century ago. One of these return pieces is now exhibited in a gallery next to the Phanom Rung Temple in the northeast of Thailand. These successes motivate both local and international actors to fight vigorously for return and reject a passive attitude towards the stolen legacy.

Overall, the upcoming return of the statues and the efforts of Thailand to preserve his cultural heritage shows that the topic of dealing with predatory art and striving for justice in the world of antiques is increasingly being relevant. The return of the statues is an example of the challenges with which many nations are confronted when it comes to maintaining their cultural heritage.