(Photo courtesy of the Royal Thai Embassy in Bern)
The Royal Thai Embassy in Bern, together with officials from the Swiss government, held a ceremony to officially return 11 ancient artifacts to Thailand. The items are being prepared to be sent back to Thailand for examination and registration as national treasures.
Aranya Miller, a reporter for Thairath based in Switzerland, reported that on Wednesday, 11 February 2026, the Royal Thai Embassy in Bern held an official ceremony to return 11 ancient artifacts to Thailand at the embassy building.
Ms. Pannapa Chantraram, Ambassador to Bern, represented Thailand in receiving the artifacts. Ms. Fabienne Baraga, Head of the International Cultural Property Transfer Unit under the Swiss Federal Office of Culture, Ministry of the Interior, represented Switzerland in handing over the 11 artifacts.
The 11 artifacts were voluntarily returned through Swiss authorities by an anonymous owner who wished to repatriate these valuable historical items to their place of origin. It is initially believed that they may have originated from the Ban Chiang archaeological culture in northeastern Thailand.
This handover symbolizes the strong friendship and close cultural cooperation between Thailand and Switzerland, reflecting their shared responsibility to protect cultural heritage. Representatives from both countries attended as witnesses, including officials from the Swiss Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Swiss Ministry of the Interior, as well as members of the Thai community in Switzerland who came to celebrate.
Following the ceremony, the Royal Thai Embassy will send all the artifacts back to Thailand to be transferred to the Fine Arts Department for academic examination, conservation, registration as national treasures, and consideration for public display to allow both Thai and international audiences to learn about them.
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