Fine Arts Department lodges complaint over installation of plaque at historic site

The department is taking issue with the demonstrators for installing a plaque, which was tantamount to trespassing Sanam Luang, and a violation of the Archaeological Site Act.

Entering Sanam Luang and doing activities such as installing a plaque are an offence under Historical Sites, Archaeological Objects, Art Objects and National Museum Act 1961, Prateep Phengtako, the department's director-general, said on Monday.

In its complaint filed on Monday, the department cited invasion, and damage or depreciation, on Sunday at the Sanam Luang area, which is a registered archaeological site.

The plaque was embedded in a concrete area that was made for the funeral of the late King Rama IX. However, the royal funeral was allowed and had become a part of history, but the plaque was illegally installed there, marking destruction and depreciation of the historic site, the department said.

Whoever invades a historic site or destroys, depreciates, or makes it useless at the historic site must be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding seven years or a fine not exceeding Bt700,000, or both. If the commission of the offence is under paragraph one as an action against ancient sites which have been registered, the wrongdoer shall be liable to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 10 years or a fine not exceeding Bt 1 million, or both, according to the law, the department said.