Paul Chambers, an American lecturer, was detained in Thailand on charges of insulting the monarchy, an offense that could result in a prison sentence of up to 15 years.
The 58-year-old political science professor from Naresuan University in northern Thailand was arrested on the 8th of April, 2025, and presented in court in Phitsanulok province.
He faces serious charges under the country’s stringent lese-majeste law and the Computer Crime Act, which governs online speech.
Chambers was denied bail as he awaits trial, and his legal team is set to appeal the decision on the 9th of April, 2025, No trial date has yet been set.
Chambers, who has spent over a decade teaching in Thailand, has focused his research on the role of the Thai military in politics. Notably, the Thai army has orchestrated 13 coups since 1932, the latest of which occurred in 2014.
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Scholars at Risk, an organization dedicated to protecting academic freedom, speculated that the charges may stem from comments Chambers made during a 2024 webinar on military restructuring.
Chambers’ wife, Napisa Waitoolkiat, dean of social sciences at Naresuan University, rejected the claims that the cited evidence was from her husband.
She pointed out that authorities had referred to a description from the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, based in Singapore, which hosted the event. “It seems like they want to discourage Paul from his research, especially his work on the economics of the Thai military,” Napisa commented.
The U.S. State Department expressed its concern over the arrest, condemning Thailand’s use of the lese-majeste law. The department reiterated its commitment to providing consular support and urged Thai authorities to honor freedom of expression and refrain from silencing dissent.