Thailand Prepares for Return of Ancient Statues Stolen and Held in American Museum | Arts & Culture News

In the late 1960s, looters stripped an ancient temple in northern Thailand of its centuries-old statues. These artifacts, known as the Prakhon Chai hoard, ended up in museums and collections worldwide. Now after decades, some of these statues are set to return to Thailand, marking a victory in Thailand’s effort to reclaim its lost cultural heritage. The return of the bronze statues from San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum is part of a growing global movement to repatriate historical treasures, exposing the lingering effects of antiquities smuggling and colonial-era looting. For decades, the British vanaf deposing of the Parthenon Marbles from the Acropolis in Athens has highlighted the contentious issue of returning cultural artifacts. Despite progress in some cases, controversy over ownership and the custody of historical artifacts persists, reflecting the enduring impact of colonial legacies in the art world.

Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/5/24/thailand-readies-homecoming-for-stolen-ancient-statues-located-in-us-museum?traffic_source=rss