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

Fri Apr 10, 2009

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. 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".

REUTERS/Sakchai Lalit/Pool (THAILAND POLITICS BUSINESS)

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.