The United States yesterday officially handed over more than 500 antiquities, mostly from the Ban Chiang archaeological site, to Thailand after they were illegally looted decades ago.
The handover ceremony took place at the National Museum on Na Phra That Road in western Bangkok.
Ban Chiang artefacts are displayed at the Bangkok National Museum as Patrick Murphy, the US chargé d'affaires to Thailand, right, officially hands over the items to Thailand yesterday. They are among more than 500 artefacts smuggled to the US decades ago. Patipat Janthong
The event was attended by representatives from the Culture Ministry, the Foreign Ministry and the US embassy who jointly signed a document to acknowledge the handover before displaying the items.
Culture Minister Veera Rojpojanarat said that Thais should realise the value of the artefacts. He expressed his gratitude to all related agencies, and to the Foreign Ministry in particular.
The US embassy's charge d'affaires Patrick Murphy said that stealing artefacts was an international crime and finding a way to end it is a US priority.
"Over the past seven years, nearly 7,000 cultural artefacts have been returned to 30 countries around the world including Southeast Asia. It is a very good news that today Thailand joins those countries. The artefacts never should have left the kingdom," Mr Murphy said.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee explained the handover process, which started in mid-2009 after the US government informed the Royal Thai Consulate in Los Angeles about the items and requested that Thai experts inspect them at the Bowers Museum. The US authorities reportedly found the items in 2008.
In September 2009, the Fine Arts Department team and Foreign Ministry representative travelled to the US and the process of inspections and negotiations continued, Mr Sek said.
According to the initial inspection, 60-70% of the artefacts originated from the prehistoric Ban Chiang settlement, while the remainder were believed to come from other sites in northeastern and central Thailand.
The world heritage site, Ban Chiang, was a Bronze Age village and cemetery, dating back 5,000 years.
The 554 archaeological artefacts were 222 pieces of pottery, 197 bronze ornaments, 79 bronze tools, 35 beaded items, 11 stones and adzes and 10 sandstone moulds.
The handover resulted from the US attorney-general's investigation into smuggled artefacts in more than 100 private institutions in California and Illinois.
The operations were conducted following an increase in art donations after the value of the donations became tax-deductible in the country.
Bowers Museum in Santa Ana, California was among the museums and institutions suspected to have received looted items from donors.
All artefacts have been returned to the country since the end of August, but time was needed for the Fine Arts Department to conduct the verification process.
The handover has been met with positive feedback from Ban Chiang residents from Nong Han district of Udon Thani province.
Sawetchat Banthaotuk, who is mayor of tambon Ban Chiang, said local people are delighted to have the items back.
However, they said they wanted the ancient artefacts to be displayed at Ban Chiang's archaeological site.
"We are happy to have the artefacts back, but it would be nice if some of the returned items could be displayed in Ban Chiang as we have a plenty of space to house them," he said.
Meanwhile, 334 ancient horseshoes were discovered inside a cave in Khao Sam Roi Yot National Park of Prachuap Khiri Khan province yesterday.
All the artefacts will be examined by archaeologists to see whether they are from the prehistoric period.
In Ubon Ratchathani province, four ancient jars containing human skeletons were found underground in Na Tan district.