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  5. US Academic Jailed in Thailand on Royal Insult Charges

US Academic Jailed in Thailand on Royal Insult Charges

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Paul Chambers, a 58-year-old American lecturer of political science at Naresuan University in northern Thailand, has been accused of insulting the monarchy, a crime punishable by up to 15 years in prison. Chambers, who specializes in civil-military relations and democratization in Southeast Asia, was denied bail on Tuesday and is being held at Phitsanulok provincial prison.

  1. US
    Tammy Bruce
    US State Department
    1. We are in communication with Thai authorities regarding this case.
    2. As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers… We have requested access to him to ensure his well-being and to provide any necessary support.
    3. This case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lèse-majesté laws in Thailand.
    4. We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression.
    5. The United States is alarmed by the arrest of U.S. citizen Paul Chambers in Thailand.
  2. AU
    Elaine Pearson
    Human Rights Watch
    1. The baseless prosecution of Paul Chambers poses a serious threat to academic freedom and free speech in Thailand.
  3. TH
    Sunai Phasuk
    Human Rights Watch
    1. The abusive use of the royal insult law in Thailand has reached a new height of absurdity when Paul Chambers, a prominent Thai studies scholar, is charged with lese-majesty and cybercrime offences for commenting about the monarchy and the military. Academic freedom and free speech in Thailand will suffer devastating blows if this baseless prosecution proceeds.
    2. Paul is considered a major target by ultra-royalist groups, which have launched multiple attacks against him for years — ranging from online disinformation and hate campaigns to pressing authorities to revoke his visa and get him expulsed from the university.
  4. TH
    Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate
    Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
    1. Unlike other lese majeste cases, this case involves an extremely well-established academic whose work focuses very deeply on the civil-military relations in Thailand and whose expertise is widely acknowledged within the academic community.
    2. He denied all charges. He neither wrote nor published the blurb on the website.
    3. He was accused of publishing a blurb on (Singapore's Institute of Southeast Asian Studies') website in connection with an ISEAS webinar in October 2024 about military reshuffles.

sources

  1. 1.The Guardian
  2. 2.The Washington Post
  3. 3.Al Jazeera
  4. 4.CNN
  5. 5.Associated Press
  6. 6.Washington Post

perspectives

  1. 1.Authoritarianism
  2. 2.Freedom of Speech
  3. 3.Thai monarchy
  4. 4.US-Thailand Relations

countries

  1. 1.SingaporeSG
  2. 2.ThailandTH
  3. 3.United StatesUS

organizations

  1. 1.ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute
  2. 2.US State DepartmentUS
  3. 3.Naresuan University
  4. 4.Thai Lawyers for Human Rights
  5. 5.Human Rights Watch
  6. 6.Northern Illinois University
  7. 7.United Thai Nation Party
  8. 8.Association of Southeast Asia Nations
  9. 9.Fortify Rights
  10. 10.Scholars at Risk

persons

  1. 1.Paul Chambers
  2. 2.Akarachai ChaimaneekarakateTH
  3. 3.Napisa Waitoolkiat
  4. 4.Sunai PhasukTH
  5. 5.Tammy BruceUS
  6. 6.Elaine PearsonAU
  7. 7.Joe W Gordon
  8. 8.King Bhumibol Adulyadej
  9. 9.Napon Jatusripitak
  10. 10.Thaksin Shinawatra

technicals

  1. 1.Computer Crime Act
  2. 2.Section 112