Thai Buddhist Art Exhibition Opens at South Korean Museum
The Fine Arts Department has launched the "Amazing Thailand: Thai Buddhist Art" exhibition at Tongdosa Museum in South Korea, marking the first major showcase of Thai antiquities in the country. Featuring 55 significant artifacts from 13 national museums, the exhibition runs from October to December 2026 and highlights Buddhist art across Thai historical periods. Officials say the event strengthens cultural ties and promotes Thai heritage internationally at a UNESCO site visited by millions annually.
The Fine Arts Department continues Thai-South Korean cooperation by organizing the "Amazing Thailand: Thai Buddhist Art" exhibition, bringing important antiquities and Buddhist art from national museums for display from October 3 to December 4, 2026, at Tongdosa Museum in Yangsan, South Korea.
Deputy Director-General Chinnawut Wilayai, representing the Fine Arts Department Director-General, attended the opening ceremony of "Amazing Thailand: Thai Buddhist Art" at Tongdosa Museum in Yangsan, South Korea, alongside Nittaya Kanokmongkol, Director of the National Museums Office, Fine Arts Department; Tongdosa Temple administrators; National Museum of Korea executives; and representatives from cultural agencies of both nations.
The "Amazing Thailand: Thai Buddhist Art" exhibition highlights the story of Buddhist faith in Thai society and culture, as well as artistic identities across eras such as the Walking Buddha of Sukhothai art, the Buddha Footprint Buddha of Lanna art, the Phra Malai illustrated manuscripts of Rattanakosin art, and 55 significant Buddhist art pieces from 13 national museums under the Fine Arts Department.
This marks the first large-scale exhibition of Thailand's masterpiece artifacts in South Korea, running from October 3 to December 4, 2026, at Tongdosa Museum in Yangsan, Gyeongsangnam-do Province, South Korea.
Chinnawut stated that this exhibition follows the National Museum of Korea in Seoul mid-last year, under cooperation between the Fine Arts Department's National Museums Office and the National Museum of Korea in museum work, cultural heritage conservation, and knowledge exchange between Thailand and South Korea, which has continued steadily. This is an important part of promoting good understanding between the peoples of both countries through the cultural dimension.
Additionally, the Deputy Director-General noted that exhibiting Thai artifacts at Tongdosa Museum is a great opportunity to present Thai Buddhist art, as Tongdosa Temple is one of South Korea's most important historical and cultural tourist destinations, registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2018, attracting over 3 million visitors annually from around the world.
This is another significant step in promoting Thailand's cultural heritage on the international stage and advancing antiquities and museum work in Thailand as a medium connecting people through cultural heritage globally.
