03 August 2025
One of Thailand’s most prominent art venues has removed several China-related artworks from a political exhibition after alleged pressure from Beijing, raising fresh concerns about foreign influence on artistic freedom in Southeast Asia.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) reportedly altered or withdrew pieces referencing sensitive Chinese issues — including Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement, Tibet, and the Uyghur minority — just days after the exhibition opened. The works were part of “Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity”, a showcase exploring cooperation among authoritarian governments.
According to co-curator Sai, a Myanmar-born artist living in exile, Chinese embassy officials visited the exhibition alongside Bangkok city representatives and demanded its closure. “Three days after the opening, they came in, looked at the displays, and insisted certain works be taken down or altered,” Sai said.
Emails obtained by journalists indicate the gallery cited “diplomatic tensions” as the reason for the changes, saying the embassy’s concerns were relayed via Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration, BACC’s primary supporter. Among the modifications were the removal of entire installations, redaction of politically sensitive words such as “Hong Kong” and “Uyghur,” and the omission of artists’ names from labels.
Rights groups say the move is part of a broader pattern of Beijing exerting pressure on overseas institutions to censor criticism. China has repeatedly denied such claims, stating it “respects cultural exchange” but opposes “politicising art.”
Sai described the censorship as “tragically ironic,” noting that an exhibition about authoritarian cooperation had itself been altered under political pressure. “Thailand has been a safe space for exiled artists,” he said, “but this is a warning sign for the whole region.”
This is not the first time Thai authorities have faced criticism over China-related cases. Earlier this year, Thailand deported 40 Uyghur asylum seekers to China despite United Nations warnings they could face torture or persecution.
The BACC has declined to comment further on the incident, and both the Chinese embassy in Bangkok and Thailand’s foreign ministry have yet to respond to inquiries.
