July 5, Bangkok - The Minister of Culture summarized the results of receiving and keeping the Golden Boy and the sculpture of a woman with hands together, which were received from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, along with an announcement of receiving antiques from the Art Institute of Chicago, USA, including following up on the progress of tracking Thai antiques abroad. Ms. Sudawan Wangsupakitchkosol, Minister of Culture, chaired the 2/2024 meeting of the Committee to Follow Up on the Return of Thai Antiquities to Thailand at the Ministry of Culture Conference Center, 8th Floor, Wisit Cultural Building, Ministry of Culture. The meeting summarized the results of the receipt of the Golden Boy Shiva Sculpture and the Praying Woman Sculpture from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She then reported the progress of the case of the Art Institute of Chicago, which examined the piece of the wall pillar of the image of Lord Krishna lifting Mount Kovardhana and found that it came from the main castle of Phanom Rung Cas tle in Buriram Province. Therefore, the intention was notified through the Royal Thai Consulate-General in Chicago to return it to Thailand. In addition, the Minister of Culture also followed up on the work of the committee to monitor Thai antiques abroad, which has resolved to monitor since 2017, both in the parts that have been returned to Thailand, which the Academic Subcommittee to monitor Thai antiques abroad has resolved to monitor further up to the present, including the group of antiques kept in the United States, such as bronze sculptures from the Prakonchai group, antiques from Si Thep City, Phetchabun Province, and the Buddha statue sitting on the top of the Phanasabdi from the ancient city of Sap Champa, Lopburi Province, etc. The Ministry of Culture has received good cooperation and support for its operations from the United States government. Minister Sudawan added that for the antiques currently on display and kept in museums in various countries such as England, Germany, Belgium, and Austral ia, the committee has considered the guidelines proposed by the Subcommittee on Legal Affairs to Track Thai Antiques Abroad and has discussed with the committee, which consists of representatives from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Council of State, the Royal Thai Police, experts in history and archaeology, and the media, to track the antiques back to Thailand. The tracking of antiques will focus on being friendly and maintaining relations between countries, which will be done through diplomatic channels. In addition, a quarterly meeting of the committee to track Thai antiques abroad to be returned to Thailand has been scheduled, and information on tracking antiques will be continuously updated Source: Thai News Agency