Thailand’s arrest of a prominent American academic on charges of insulting the monarchy has “alarmed” the United States, the State Department said, in a rare case of a foreign national allegedly falling foul of the kingdom’s strict lese majeste law.
Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University in central Thailand who writes analysis on the kingdom’s military and politics, could face years in prison after he was formally charged and detained when he presented himself to police and appeared in court on Tuesday.
Thailand has some of the world’s strictest lese majeste laws, and criticizing the king, queen, or heir apparent can lead to a maximum 15-year prison sentence for each offense. Anyone can file a lese majeste complaint and sentences for those convicted can be decades long, with hundreds of people prosecuted in recent years.
Chambers’ lawyer, Wannaphat Jenroumjit, said a warrant for his arrest was issued last week after a complaint was filed by a regional army command. Alongside lese majeste, Chambers is also facing charges under the Computer Crimes Act.
“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,” said Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate, advocacy lead for Thai Lawyers for Human Rights and part of Chambers’ legal team.
“He denied all charges. He neither wrote nor published the blurb on the website,” Akarachai said.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s court appearance, Chambers told CNN he had been told little about why he was charged and feared he “could be imprisoned for 15 years.”
Chambers was released on bail early Thursday after multiple bail requests were earlier denied. He is barred from leaving the country and Thai authorities have revoked his work visa.
Chambers is a scholar, author and lecturer at Naresuan University’s Centre of ASEAN Community Studies, and frequently contributes insights to news articles on Southeast Asia, including to CNN.
Advocates say the charges pose “a grave threat to academic freedom in the country.”
“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,” Akarachai said.
The US Department of State said on Tuesday it was “alarmed” by Chambers’ arrest and is providing consular assistance.
“We are in communication with Thai authorities regarding this case,” State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce in a statement. “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.”
Thailand’s conservative, military-backed establishment has ruled the country on and off for decades, and critics say it routinely uses laws like lese majeste, sedition, and the computer crimes act to silence criticism and opposition.
The military has long had an outsized influence over the country’s politics, despite Thais repeatedly voting overwhelmingly in support of the military’s political and progressive opponents. It has staged 13 successful coups since absolute monarchy ended in 1932,