Thai embassy receives Ban Chiang artefacts in Switzerland
The Thai envoy to Switzerland received several artefacts reportedly from a historic site in Udon Thani from a Swiss national who said that the items had been passed down through his family. On August 11, Thai ambassador Pannapa Chantararom met the Swiss national, Albert Schussegger, in Bellinzona, southern Switzerland, to review the artefacts which are … The story Thai embassy receives Ban Chiang…
The Thai ambassador to Switzerland met with a Swiss national, Albert Schussegger, on August 11 to review several artefacts allegedly from the Ban Chiang archaeological site in Udon Thani. The items, which include pottery, bronze tools, and jewellery, are believed to have been passed down in Schussegger's family. Schussegger contacted the Thai embassy to return the historic objects.
The embassy is working with Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Fine Arts Department to investigate the artefacts' origin, age, and authenticity before transferring them back to Thailand. The handover is seen as an example of cooperation and goodwill in preserving Thailand's cultural heritage. Ban Chiang, an important prehistoric settlement in South-East Asia, was first discovered in 1966 and later designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
The site is renowned for its red-painted pottery and evidence of early agriculture. In a related turn of events, four other Ban Chiang artefacts were returned to Thailand from the US in 2024. Additionally, architectural fragments from Phanom Rung Historical Park were recently received by Thailand from the Art Institute of Chicago.
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