The Southeast Asian Ceramics Museum (SEACM) at Bangkok University is a prominent institution dedicated to the preservation and study of Southeast Asian ceramics. Established in 2005 through a donation by Surat Osathanugrah, the founder of Bangkok University, it is one of the few specialized museums in Thailand focusing on the conservation, documentation, and research of ancient Southeast Asian ceramics.
The museum houses a collection of approximately 15,000 artifacts, primarily featuring ceramics excavated from the Tak–Omkoi archaeological sites dating from the 14th to 17th centuries. Its collections include historical ceramics from Thailand, Myanmar, Vietnam, and the Khmer cultural region, providing valuable evidence of ancient maritime trade networks and cross-cultural interactions in Southeast Asia.
The museum’s contributions to digital archiving, cultural heritage preservation, and the interpretation and dissemination of academic research offer valuable resources for understanding the socioeconomic development and cultural exchanges of the region.
The collections also provide opportunities for comparative research on ceramic craftsmanship in Taiwan, particularly Yingge, and Thailand. Such studies may further explore the connections between Austronesian cultures, ceramic production, and maritime trade during the Age of Exploration.
Furthermore, the museum offers potential opportunities for students to participate in international curatorial internships and for Taiwanese regional museums and cultural institutions to establish collaborative partnerships with overseas counterparts. These initiatives could contribute to strengthening cultural heritage cooperation and advancing Taiwan’s New Southbound Policy through international museum partnerships and cross-cultural engagement (see accompanying figures).
