'More Than 1,000 Stolen Khmer Artefacts Repatriated',

 Ripped off temple art repatriated and on display
        at the National Museum of Cambodia (Kiripost/Mon Sokeo)      

Since 1996, according to the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts (MCFA). 1,086 looted or missing Khmer artefacts have been successfully repatriated to Cambodia through the efforts of various institutions, the government and individuals who contributed to the repatriation of these invaluable Khmer items (Mon Sokeo, 'More Than 1,000 Stolen Khmer Artefacts Repatriated', kiripost.com Wed, 09 Apr 2025).  

Of these, 494 pieces were returned through institutional and government channels, while 592 came back through individual contributions. The objects have been retrieved from 16 countries, including Australia, the UK, France, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Thailand, the United States, Canada, Denmark, Germany, Hungary, Norway, China, and South Korea. They were originally trafficked through networks of individuals, organized groups, and institutions operating from remote regions of Cambodia to major international museums and private collectors.

To reclaim these objects, Cambodia’s restitution teams rely on legal frameworks stretching back to lawsof 1900. After independence from France in 1953, Cambodia ratified various international legal instruments, including the Convention for Protection of Cultural Property in the Event of Armed Conflict (Hague 1954). Additionally, the government adopted a new cultural heritage law in 1996, and has signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoU) with numerous countries and organisations, including Thailand, the UA and China.

This legal and diplomatic work responds to the historical movement of Khmer artefacts out of Cambodia. Much of the lootings dates back to French colonial rule. During this early period, some objects were removed with formal government approval, while others were stolen and sold abroad. In the 19th century, French explorers documented temple complexes, removing numerous statues and carvings, many of which remain on display in institutions such as the Guimet Museum in Paris.

Lintel Depicting, a Reclining Vishnu from the Pre-Angkorian period, was returned from the USA in 2023 and is on display at the National Museum of Cambodia. Kiripost/Mon Sokeo

Looting escalated dramatically between the 1970s and early 1990s, during the prolonged civil war and subsequent Vietnamese occupation. Khmer artworks became highly sought after on the Western art market, prompting thieves and trafficking gangs to strip temples in rural areas and smuggle statues and carvings across the border, most commonly to dealers in Thailand. From there, artefacts entered auction houses, museums, and private collections across the Western world, usually without documentation or official permission.

Momentum for repatriation increased sharply in 2013 after Cambodia succeeded in reclaiming objects looted from Koh Ker that had been publicly displayed in museums and auction houses. Since then, continued investigation, negotiation, and diplomatic pressure have resulted in the return of numerous sculptures, with many more still expected.

Public sentiment and strategic use of international media have played a crucial role in recent successes, Cambodia is benefiting from shifting global opinion that increasingly challenges museums and collectors holding artworks taken illicitly from their countries of origin. Alongside this is the strong voice of the Cambodian government, which continues to press for the return of stolen heritage. Nonetheless, officials note that the process is still far from complete, as large numbers of Khmer artefacts remain overseas.