Cambodia Requests Thailand to Return Remaining Stolen Artifacts

Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva handed 7 pieces of artefacts to Cambodian PM Hun sen during his visit to Cambodia from 12-13 June, 2009. Another 36 pieces had not been returned yet.

Xinhua Web Editor: Guo
6th August, 2011

Cambodian government has asked Thailand to return the remaining artifacts stolen from Cambodia in 2000, a senior government official said Saturday.

Him Chhem, Minister of Culture and Fine Arts, said he had asked Sompong Sanguanbun, Thai Ambassador to Cambodia, to process the remaining artifacts back to Cambodia.

In 2000, Thai authorities seized 43 pieces of artifacts stolen from Cambodia, and following the request from the Cambodian government seven pieces of them were already returned to Cambodia in 2009.

The 7 pieces of artifacts were handed over by then Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva during his one-day official visit to Cambodia.

Him Chhem said he had made the request, for returning the remaining of 36 artifacts, to Thai ambassador during a meeting on Thursday in Phnom Penh.

According to Him Chhem, Sompong Sanguanbun responded that he would convey Cambodia's request to his government in Bangkok.

The Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts has earlier said, in addition to, the 43 stolen pieces of artifacts bounded for Thailand, at least 5 other pieces were stolen and smuggled to Switzerland and another piece to Indonesia.