Concern over online trade in antiquities

ARTEFACT THEFTS

The Information and Communications Technology Ministry has been urged to keep a close watch on online trading of Thai antiquities and religious artefacts after a spate of thefts from Buddhist temples in Ayutthaya province.

Phra Yantrailok, secretary to Ayutthaya's chief monk, urged the ministry to monitor and regulate websites that sell Buddha statues, Buddha heads and archaeological items. If antiquities could be easily traded in an unregulated online market then thefts of such artefacts would increase, he said.

Jiraphan Pimpan, chairwoman of Ayutthaya's provincial cultural council, echoed the call for action.

Websites selling antiquities featured the names, phone numbers and bank details of traders. The ministry should follow up on these details, she said.

Their calls followed a string of thefts and the beheading of Buddha images at temples in Ayutthaya over the past week.

On Nov 19, robbers stole the heads of seven Buddha images from Wat Dong Wai in Nakhon Luang. Two days later, the heads of four Buddha images at Wat Daeng in Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya district were stolen. Six Buddha statues were stolen from Wat Thammasinsopa in the same district on Monday.

Meanwhile, more than 10 Buddha images were stolen from a temple in Trat province on Monday night, the third major theft there this year.