National Museum unveils 1,000-year-old stolen art treasures returned by US
The National Museum in Bangkok has unveiled two 1,000-year-old art treasures returned to Thailand after being stolen and smuggled abroad in the 1960s. The ancient lintels looted from Thai temples were welcomed back home in a ceremony arranged by the Culture Ministry on Monday.
The lintels, depicting the Hindu deity Vishnu (Phra Narai in Thai), were stolen from Prasat Khao Lon in Sa Kaeo and Prasat Nong Hong in Buri Ram and had been on show at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum for decades.
They show the influence of the ancient Khmer Kingdom, which spread across the region from Angkor Wat in modern-day Cambodia.
The US Department of Justice handed back the ornately carved stone features to Thai authorities in San Francisco, and the items were shipped back to Thailand on May 28.
The artefacts will be exhibited at the National Museum for around three months.
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