Thais and foreigners flocked to the National Museum Bangkok on Wednesday to see the 900-year-old "Golden Boy" statue that was repatriated recently after having been smuggled out of the country in 1975 by notorious art dealer Douglas Latchford.
The Golden Boy, along with a bronze statue of a kneeling lady, arrived back in the country on Tuesday from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the United States.
Believed to have been cast over 900 years ago, the Golden Boy was in the Met's possession from 1988 to 2023. Last December, the museum agreed to return both statues to Thailand, as well as 14 artefacts to Cambodia.
The return of the former was secured after confirmation of the link to Latchford, who in 2019 was charged with operating a major network that stole treasures from all over Southeast Asia.
According to Latchford's books Khmer Bronzes and Khmer Gold, the Golden Boy was discovered in Ban Yang Pongsadao village in tambon Ta Chong in Buri Ram's Lahan Sai district.
The two artefacts are being displayed on the 2nd floor of the Lop Buri Art Room at the Mahasurasinghanat Building inside the National Museum Bangkok. The exhibition has already pulled in large crowds.
A larger bronze statue -- believed to be of King Surayavaraman I -- that was discovered at the excavation site of Prasat Sa Kamphaeng Yai in Sri Sa Ket and bears a strong resemblance to the Golden Boy was also taken from Phimai National Museum to be exhibited alongside the two new items.
The entry fee for the museum is 30 baht for Thais and 200 baht for foreign nationals. The museum opens from 9am to 4pm.
Meanwhile, Radklao Inthawong Suwankiri, a deputy government spokeswoman, said the cabinet had approved the return of 20 prized artefacts to Cambodia in compliance with the memorandum of understanding between the two countries to boost bilateral ties.
These were among 43 artefacts illegally smuggled from Singapore to the kingdom in 2000.
A total of 23 artefacts were handed back to Cambodia in 2009 and 2015, while the rest were verified before being given clearance for a return to Cambodia.