The wooden Bodhisattva statue was returned to China by Thai authorities in Beijing, Dec 12, 2015. [Photo/Xinhua]

The statue, dating back to the Tang Dynasty (AD 618-907), is a 1.86 meter tall male Bodhisattva from early Buddhist culture. Having survived thousands of years, the paint on the statue has faded, while the overall statue is still in good condition.

The statue was bought by the ancestors of Pisal Tachaviphak, vice executive of the Thai Buddha Image Admiration Association in the 1940s during the war. The statue will be donated to the temple in Wutai Mountain, Shanxi province.

The return of the statue also marks the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Thailand.