Talks start with South Korea to retrieve stolen dinosaur fossils

BAMRUNG AMNATCHAROENRIT

Bankokpost.com November 16, 2008

Authorities are refusing to pay two billion baht to a South Korean businessman for the return of 130-million-year-old dinosaur fossils smuggled out of the country five years ago.

JUST GIVE THEM BACK: A CIB officer with recovered fossils.

However, the Mineral Resources Department, East Asian Affairs Department, Customs Department and the Royal Thai Police are in negotiations with the South Korean government to have the stolen fossils returned to Thailand.

Local media reported last week that Korean businessman Chin Jae-Hun and his lawyer recently contacted the Thai embassy in Seoul, offering to sell back 1,000 dinosaur fossils found in the Northeast five years ago for the princely sum of two billion baht.

The fossils come from six 130-million-year-old Phuwiangosauruses (Phu Wiang lizards) titanosaurs which roamed Thailand during the Cretaceous period and grew up to 30 metres long.

According to reports, Chin Jae-Hun said he purchased the fossils through an underground agency, but had originally thought they were remains of elephants or buffaloes. However, in 2006 he said he had the fossils examined by an expert in South Korea, who confirmed they were Phuwiangosaurus fossils.

The Korean businessman says that if Thai authorities don't buy back the fossils, he will sell them to a Japanese businessmen with an interest in fossils.

Varavudh Suteethorn of the Bureau of Fossil Research and director of the Geological Museum said Thailand will not buy back the fossils, as this would be in breach of the international consensus set by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (Unesco), which bans fossil trading worldwide.

"The consensus states that fossils discovered in the territory of a country rightfully belong to the country," said Mr Varavudh. "They cannot be moved out of the country or put up for sale."

Mr Varavudh said this is one of the biggest cases of fossil trafficking in Thailand's history.

Thailand implemented the Ancient Monuments, Antiques and National Museums Act on Aug 9, which aims to eliminate trafficking in fossils. The act gives a general amnesty to fossil traffickers under the condition they return any stolen fossils.

"But not to buy them back," said Mr Varavudh, who added that if South Korea had the fossil protection law it would be easier for Thailand to negotiate their return.

Those exporting rare fossils without permission face prison terms of up to seven years, or fines up to 700,000 baht, and those trading in fossils without a licence face one year in prison or a 100,000 baht fine. The illicit trade in dinosaur fossils has surged in recent years - they are often used in amulets for their supposed mystical powers.