Thailand to return smuggled artifacts to Cambodia

Bangkok - Thailand's government has decided to return to Cambodia seven artifacts smuggled into the kingdom almost 10 years ago, media reports said Wednesday. The Thai cabinet approved the diplomatic gesture at its weekly meeting Tuesday, days before Thailand hosts the 14th Summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, which will be attended by Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen. 'The return of these artifacts will help strengthen relations between Thailand and Cambodia,' government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn told the Bangkok Post newspaper. The seven items, including busts of Cambodian gods and giants of the 12th or 13th century Bayon style, were part of a shipment of 43 smuggled artifacts intercepted by Thai custom officials at Samut Prakan port in May 2000. Thailand's Fine Arts Department has verified the seven artifacts as being of Cambodian origin, but is still seeking more evidence to determine the place of origin of the remaining 36 items. The artifacts will be on display at Bangkok's National Museum until they are returned to Cambodia, at a still unspecified date. Thai-Cambodian relations have been tempestuous since July, last year, when the two neighbouring countries came to blows over a disputed area in the vicinity of the Pheah Vihear temple, an 11th-century Hindu temple. Known as Phra Viharn in Thailand, the temple complex was named a World Heritage Site at a UNESCO meeting in Quebec in July despite Thai opposition on the grounds that the area surrounding the temple is still disputed by both nations. The ancient Hindu temple, perched on a 525-metre-high cliff on the Dangrek Mountain range that defines the Thai-Cambodian border, has been the source of a sovereignty dispute for decades. A row over the temple in 1958 led to a suspension of diplomatic relations in 1958 and eventually ended up in The Hague for an international settlement in 1962. Cambodia won, but the Hague failed to pass judgement on the area adjacent to the temple. Last year's renewed dispute led to clashes that claimed five lives and severely strained Thai-Cambodian diplomatic ties.