91Â鶹¹ú²ú¾«Æ·×ÔÅÄ

In collaboration with the UNESCO Regional Office in Bangkok and the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, the U.S. Embassy in Thailand will co-host a ceremony marking the voluntary return of several ancient artifacts from the UNESCO-listed Ban Chiang Archaeological Site—one of the most important prehistoric settlements in South-East Asia.

On 14 November at Thailand’s National Museum, U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec and U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Policy, Rafik Mansour will present the artifacts to Thailand’s Minister of Culture, Sudawan Wangsuphakijkosol. Commemorative remarks will be delivered by UNESCO Bangkok Regional Director Soohyun Kim.

Following the ceremony, UNESCO will host a high-level seminar to commemorate the International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property. Experts from law enforcement, museums, and international agencies will discuss best practices in combating cultural property trafficking and underscore the critical need for robust international cooperation in its prevention.

Speakers will include representatives from U.S. Homeland Security Investigations, the Royal Thai Police, the Fine Arts Department of Thailand, and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. Topics will include legal frameworks, international cooperation, and ethical acquisition in the global art and antiquities markets.

In 2024, UNESCO celebrates the 54th anniversary of the 1970 Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property. This Convention has significantly influenced global legal standards, ethical practices, and public awareness in the fight against cultural property trafficking for over half a century. However, South-East Asia continues to have one of the lowest ratification rates for the Convention, with only four out of ten ASEAN countries—Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam—having incorporated its principles into national legislation. This is especially significant, as the region’s rich cultural heritage and role as a global trade hub make it a focal area for cultural property trafficking.

In recent years, the United States Government has supported the repatriation of various cultural objects to their respective countries. Recent examples include the 900-year-old Golden Boy statue, which was displayed at Bangkok’s National Museum after its return in May 2024, and several Angkorian-period Hindu and Buddhist artifacts repatriated to Cambodia.

The seminar will include technical discussion and advocacy toward the following objectives:

1. To share best practices in fighting the trafficking of cultural property
2. To encourage Member States in South-East Asia to ratify the 1970 Convention
3. To strengthen advocacy on the impact of cultural property trafficking
4. To foster international cooperation against new challenges, such as trafficking crimes occuring in the conflict in Myanmar

The event is by invitation only and open to select members of the press; for more information, contact the UNESCO Bangkok Communications and Public Engagement (CPE) team: cpe.bangkok(at)unesco.org

The event will be livestreamed on from 10:00 hrs to 11:45 hrs and from 13:00 to 15:00 hrs.

For more information on the 1970 Convention 

For more information on the International Day against Illicit Trafficking in Cultural Property

#IllicitTraffickingOfCulturalProperty #WorldHeritage