Registration of shops will help preserve artefacts

The Deputy Director General of the department, Ms Chanphone Sayalath, said there had not been adequate regulation in the past. Many shops were running their businesses without permission, causing the loss of valuable Lao artefacts.

"Registration is an essential part of preserving the national heritage," she said. "If artefacts aren't registered it causes negative effects, including the loss of Buddha images which may have been illegally traded, or stolen from temples and other places.

"Before we had this law, it was difficult to prevent people from selling artefacts illegally because we relied on the police, officials concerned and villagers' awareness. This was why some artefacts have been lost and stolen," she said during a telephone interview with Vientiane Times yesterday.

The department will soon disseminate the new law, and will encourage shop owners to work closely with it to prevent the loss of artefacts. If artefacts are moved or sold the department will know, because all items will be listed on a central database.

"Artefacts which aren't allowed to be sold in shops include wood carvings, manuscripts, and Buddha images. Shop owners can put artefacts and images on display, but not for sale," she said, adding that the department will permit shop owners to register their objects for only one year in the first instance.

Departmental officials will visit shops to check what is being sold, she said. Buddha images more than 50 years old will need to be registered, and must not be sold, she added.

"If we find out the owners are selling banned artefacts or running a business without permission we will order them to close down and be dealt with by the law," she added.

Law article 37 on the transaction of artefacts of national heritage value, says that persons or entities are forbidden to sell, purchase or transfer artefacts of national heritage value, except when specifically authorised by the Ministry of Information and Culture.

Applications may be submitted to the ministry one month before the actual sale or transfer of ownership. Once the ministry gives its permission, it must be notified within three months of such sale or transfer.

A shop assistant at Krittaphong Handicraft Store, Ms Air Naphaphone, said the shop sold handicrafts including Chinese and Lao Buddha images and other wood carvings but they didn't sell any artefacts of national heritage value.

"I agree that the department should register artefacts in every shop in Laos; this can help it keep track of what is happening in shops, as well as preventing the loss of artefacts," Ms Air said.

In Vientiane , the department will focus on the morning markets and Samsenthai Road , where many antique and souvenir shops are located. Shop owners in Vientiane can register directly with the department of archaeology while shop owners in other provinces can to register with their provincial departments of culture and information.

Ms Chanphone explained that, to make sure shop owners understood the new regulations, the ministry would send officials to disseminate information to staff in the northern and southern provinces. Officials will pass on the message at meetings in Luang Prabang province for the north and in Savannaketh province for the south.

//Vientiane Times/Asia News Network