Stolen Artefacts Connected to Douglas Latchford To Be Returned

The prestigious Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) in New York has yielded to pressure, agreeing to return 16 Khmer-era ancient artifacts to Cambodia and Thailand.

Unraveling a tale of illicit trafficking, these masterpieces were linked to the late Douglas Latchford, a notorious dealer accused of dealing in ancient artifacts.

The Met, under scrutiny for years, succumbed to the Cambodian government’s demands, acknowledging that some of its prized possessions were allegedly taken illicitly during Cambodia’s tumultuous civil war. Among the 16 artworks being returned, 14 will find their way back to Cambodia, and two to Thailand, marking a historic moment in the museum’s history.

Some of these artworks, described by the museum as the finest surviving examples from the Angkor period, are still on display at the Met. However, they will eventually be…