The Culture Ministry has rejected Cambodia’s call for the return of ancient artefacts removed from Prasat Khana and taken to Thailand, saying the temple is in Thai territory and the objects have been catalogued and placed in safe storage.
“Thailand cannot accept Cambodia’s demand for their return based solely on its claims without supporting evidence and a clear legal basis,” Culture Minister Sabida Thaiset said yesterday.
She was responding to an Oct 22 letter from Cambodia’s Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts demanding the return of the artefacts.
The temple is in Kap Choeng district of Surin province and was listed as an ancient monument in a Royal Gazette announcement published in May. Sabida said Thai agencies were therefore acting within the country’s legal framework to protect and preserve the temple and its artefacts.
The Fine Arts Department surveyed the area with Border Patrol Police officers in 2001. At the time, no Cambodian military personnel or civilians were found in the surveyed area, and there was no record of objections or interference from Cambodia, she said.
Sabida said the survey records could be considered as evidence when assessing the facts surrounding the site.
Following the border clashes and subsequent ceasefire, Thai authorities took steps to safeguard the area and its cultural heritage. The Fine Arts Department surveyed the site, catalogued artefacts found there and transferred them to a secure location to prevent their loss, destruction or damage.
Sabida said Thailand considered the artefacts to be Thai antiquities and that their removal and safekeeping were part of the department’s duty to protect the country’s cultural heritage.
She added that Thailand would continue to protect and preserve its antiquities in accordance with the facts, available evidence and applicable laws.
Prasat Khana became a strategic focal point during the Thai-Cambodian border clashes in December 2025, when Thai forces identified it as an early objective in an operation to secure the area. The Thai Army later announced that its forces had established control over the temple area. One Thai soldier was killed during the operation.
Main photo: Prasat Khana//Fine Arts Office 10, Nakhon Ratchasima, Fine Arts Department
