Security has been stepped at Ban Dum (Black House) of the late national artist Thawan Datchanee in Muang district of the northern province of Chiang Rai after more than 100 of his paintings went missing mysteriously from the artist’s residence in Bangkok.
Thawan’s 41-year old son, Doitibet, recently lodged a petition with metropolitan police asking for an investigation into the missing paintings from his late father’s house in Seri Thai area in Bangkok’s suburb after his earlier complaint to Bang Chan police in the middle of last year produced no results.
Ban Dum is a gallery to showcase Thawan’s works besides the Seri Thai house. It has been a popular tourist attraction in Chiang Rai province.
Ban Dum general manager Noppadol Khernpet said Tuesday that security at the gallery was normally tight due to the fact that several valuable paintings were stored at the venue which is open to public visits.
Metropolitan police commissioner Pol Lt-Gen Charnthep Sesavet said he had ordered one of his deputies to head an investigation into the case.
He said it still needs to be established as to how many paintings have gone missing. It was reported that the late artist left behind a total of 650 paintings, and 113 have gone missing.
