Before the formal ceremony began, Trevor Murphy collected himself. There he is, seated alone at a long table in Thailand’s Office of National Museums in Bangkok. The ancient artifacts are neatly displayed to his left; the speech he’s been waiting so long to deliver is on a sheet of paper before him.
“It is with deep respect for the history, artistry and spiritual heritage of the Kingdom of Thailand that I join you in marking the return of these precious Ban Chiang antiquities,” Murphy, a fiduciary from Laguna Beach, told the assembled dignitaries on Tuesday, Feb. 24.
“This moment reflects not only the restoration of cultural objects to their rightful home, but also the enduring spirit of cooperation, mutual respect and shared responsibility that unites us in preserving and repatriating Thailand’s cultural heritage.”
Then he explained how this collection of ancient pieces — dozens of clay pots and finely painted vases, beads of stone and glass, bronze bells and rattles, bracelets and necklaces, even a mold to make metal axe heads, a skill some archaeologists said didn’t exist in Thailand 3,500 years ago — wound up in a U.S. serviceman’s Orange County home for 50 years.
The serviceman was stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam conflict in the early 1970s and became fascinated with antiquities, Murphy said. During his leave, he visited archaeological sites in northern Thailand, including Ban Chiang, and purchased pieces from antique stores in Bangkok. He shipped them home to his family, and his collection was lovingly displayed behind glass for the next half-century.
“He was definitely an enthusiast in this field,” Murphy said. And he was also a man of integrity.
Trevor Murphy, left, shakes hands with Phnombootra Chandrajoti, director-general of the Thai Fine Arts Department (Photo by Sarah Murphy)“Over time, it became clear to him that the highest and best course of action was to ensure these objects returned to the cultural landscape that gave them their meaning,” Murphy continued.
“A couple of days before he died, he called me from his hospital bed. … He thanked me for agreeing to oversee his estate administration, he said he hoped he left everything in order for me, and then he asked me one more time if I would do everything in my authority to repatriate his collection of Ban Chiang back to Thailand. I told him that ‘I am your man.’ It was his last request, and the final conversation I had with him.”
As we’ve chronicled for the last year-and-a-half, this was no easy ask.
Verboten
Ban Chiang dates back to the Bronze Age some 3,500 years ago. UNESCO considers it the most important prehistoric settlement in Southeast Asia, fundamentally rewriting Southeast Asian prehistory. Excavations found evidence of settled farming, metalworking, animal domestication, pottery making and unique burial practices.
It was not verboten to possess Ban Chiang pieces back in the 1970s. It is now.
Murphy was bounced from office to office and government to government as he tried to clear a path forward; in the end — in addition to getting the pieces home — his efforts have changed the way the U.S. Homeland Security Investigations Unit and the Thai government handle some repatriation cases.
When Murphy began this mission in 2024, the governments of the U.S. and Thailand had agreed that U.S. Homeland Security Investigations would probe all Thai antiquities cases for potential wrongdoing. They sought to thwart narco-smuggling and antiquities trafficking. So people contacting the Thai Embassy and/or consulates asking to repatriate objects — people like Murphy — were referred to U.S. HSI for the full treatment.
Now, officials have agreed that the full-on U.S. HSI treatment is probably not necessary for each and every repatriation request, especially for smaller collections such as this one. The Royal Thai Consulate will consult with Homeland Security and the Ministry of Culture back home; if the objects are innocent, so to speak, and truly from Thailand, they can be returned with fewer hurdles.
Trevor Murphy and the Thai antiquities before being packed and crated in Los Angeles for the trip home (Photo by Sarah Murphy) After more than half a century in O.C., the Thai antiquities are carefully packed in Los Angeles for the trip back home to Thailand (Photo by Sarah Murphy) After more than half a century in O.C., the Thai antiquities are carefully packed in Los Angeles for the trip back home to Thailand (Photo by Sarah Murphy) After more than half a century in O.C., the Thai antiquities are carefully packed in Los Angeles for the trip back home to Thailand (Photo by Sarah Murphy) After more than half a century in O.C., the Thai antiquities are carefully packed in Los Angeles for the trip back home to Thailand (Photo by Sarah Murphy) After more than half a century in O.C., the Thai antiquities are carefully packed in Los Angeles for the trip back home to Thailand (Photo by Sarah Murphy) Show Caption1 of 6Trevor Murphy and the Thai antiquities before being packed and crated in Los Angeles for the trip home (Photo by Sarah Murphy) Expand‘Shared global responsibility’
“These antiquities are significant cultural evidence created by our ancestors more than 2,000 years ago. Their return to Thailand represents an important opportunity for further study, research, conservation and public display in the National Museums, where they will serve as a source of knowledge and inspiration for future generations,” said Phnombootra Chandrajoti, director-general of the Fine Arts Department, according to an English translation of his remarks.
Chandrajoti expressed his deep appreciation for Murphy’s “dedication and determination” in fulfilling his late client’s wishes, and for personally traveling to Thailand to present the artifacts.
Nitaya Kanokmongkol, executive director of the Office of National Museums, Fine Arts Department, expressed her appreciation as well. “Through the cooperation of all parties involved, the 53 antiquities have now been successfully returned to Thailand,” she said, according to the translation.
Officials examine the repatriated Thai antiquities (Photo by Sarah Murphy)There were smiles and handshakes and photos with officials, and Murphy thanked everyone from the Thai Fine Arts Department, Office of National Museums, Ministry of Culture and Ministry of Foreign Affairs, as well as U.S. HSI, the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, and the serviceman’s family.
“Today is not simply the conclusion of a process,” Murphy told the assembled dignitaries. “May the repatriation of these Ban Chiang antiquities stand as a symbol of respect – for Thailand’s history, for the rule of law and for the shared global responsibility to safeguard cultural heritage.”
Mission: Accomplished.
Hence then, the article about thai antiquities home at last thanks to oc fiduciary s persistence was published today ( ) and is available on The Orange County Register ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Thai antiquities home at last thanks to OC fiduciary’s persistence )
Also on site :
- My Dying Husband Has One Final Wish. I Don’t Think I Can Give Him That.
- Wynn Resorts faces second lawsuit after data breach incident involving employees
- Nancy Guthrie Update: Mexican Mothers Face Hurdles Joining Search