Paul Chambers faces up to 15 years in jail in a rare case of Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law applied to a foreigner.
Paul Chambers, an American lecturer of political science at northern Thailand’s Naresuan University, has been arrested after being accused of insulting the monarchy, a crime that carries up to 15 years in prison.
The 58-year-old academic from Oklahoma, who was arrested on Tuesday and produced in court in Phitsanulok province, was denied bail before his trial on charges under Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law and the Computer Crime Act, which regulates online speech.
His legal team is set to appeal the decision on Wednesday. No trial date has been set.
Chambers, who holds a PhD from Northern Illinois University and has been teaching in Thailand for more than 10 years, has researched the Thai military’s influence on politics. The army has staged 13 coups since 1932, including one as recently as 2014.
Scholars at Risk, a United States-based academic freedom group, suggested the charges may relate to comments Chambers made during a 2024 webinar discussing military restructuring. The complaint was reportedly filed by Thailand’s Third Army Area, which oversees the northern region.
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His wife, Napisa Waitoolkiat – dean of social sciences at Naresuan University – denied the evidence cited was his words. She told The Associated Press news agency that authorities used a description from the Singapore-based ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, which hosted the event.
“It feels like they wanted to deter Paul from his research, which often covers the Thai military’s economics,” she said.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, a legal advocacy group, said Chambers was refused bail due to the “severity of potential punishment”, his foreign nationality, and police objections.
US reaction
The US State Department said it was “alarmed” by the arrest and pledged consular support. In a statement, it criticised Thailand’s use of lese-majeste law, urging authorities to “respect freedom of expression” and avoid stifling dissent.
The law, known as “Article 112”, imposes harsh penalties for criticising the monarchy. Once a taboo subject, public debate has grown in recent years, particularly among youth-led pro-democracy protests since 2020.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reports more than 270 people – mostly activists – have been charged under the law since 2020. Critics argue it is frequently used to silence government opponents.