Switzerland Returns 11 Ban Chiang Artifacts to Thailand

BERN — The Royal Thai Embassy in Bern held an official ceremony marking the voluntary restitution of 11 cultural artifacts to Thailand on 11 February. Thai Ambassador to Switzerland Pannabha Chandraramya received the items on behalf of the Thai government from Fabienne Baraga, Head of the Specialist Body for the International Transfer of Cultural Property at the Federal Office of Culture, representing the Swiss Confederation. The artifacts were voluntarily returned through Swiss authorities by an anonymous collector who expressed a wish for the historically significant items to be restored to their country of origin. Preliminary assessments indicate the objects may have originated from the Ban Chiang Archaeological Site in northeastern Thailand, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The repatriation was described as a symbol of the enduring friendship and close cultural cooperation between Thailand and Switzerland, reflecting a shared commitment to protecting global cultural heritage. The ceremony was attended by representatives from the Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, the Federal Department of Home Affairs, and members of the Thai community in Switzerland. The embassy will arrange for the artifacts to be transported to Thailand, where they will be handed over to the Department of Fine Arts under the Ministry of Culture for further academic verification and conservation. The items are expected to be registered as national treasures and may be displayed for educational and cultural purposes.