THE Government told keyboard warriors to ease up because the news they are spreading about the Thai Culture Ministry, now headed by suspended prime minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra, returning 20 antiques to Cambodia is something that occurred 25 years ago and to stop smearing the authorities, Thai Rath newspaper said today (July 4).
Mr. Jirayu Huangtrakul, a spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office, also warned that spreading such inaccurate news could also lead to Thailand missing opportunities to reclaim many antiques from other countries.
In the year 2000 the Thai Customs Department seized 43 antiques, which were similar in style to Cambodian antiques, that had been imported here from Singapore.
After the Fine Arts Department inspected them, 23 were returned to Cambodia. However, the Cambodian government then requested the return of the remaining 20 antiques, providing documents and other evidence to confirm that they came from their country.
Upon the Fine Arts Department and several committees examining the evidence it was concluded that they did originate from Cambodia and the Culture Ministry then also returned them to the neighbouring country in keeping with international law.
Jirayu said this incident occurred 25 years ago and he did not understand why keyboard warriors are using it to attack the Culture Ministry. Thailand too has requested the return of antiques from other countries and has got a large number of them back.
It is not good using this issue to “bully” each other because it could hamstring Thailand’s effort for the return of many more historic antiques.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: A representative image of fake news by Jorge Franganillo on Unsplash
Insert: Government spokesman Jirayu Huangtrakul. Photo: Thai Rath
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