An American political scientist with decades of experience living and teaching in Thailand has been jailed under the country’s notorious royal defamation law, intensifying fears over the state’s crackdown on expression and academic freedom.
Paul Chambers, a longtime lecturer at Naresuan University and specialist in civil-military dynamics in Southeast Asia, turned himself into authorities in Phitsanulok following an arrest warrant issued days earlier. Thai police acted on a complaint lodged by the military, alleging Chambers violated Section 112 of the Thai criminal code by authoring or distributing a brief statement online last October.
The disputed text appeared as an introduction to a webinar on military reform, hosted by Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies. Although it was not a direct attack or statement against any individual, the authorities argue it amounted to defamation of the Thai monarchy. Chambers is also being pursued under the Computer Crimes Act, a law often used to criminalize online speech.
According to Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre, who is representing Chambers, the charges are groundless. “He denied all charges. He neither wrote nor published the blurb on the website,” Akarachai stated.
It is still unclear as to what Chambers was accused of writing.
The response from the Thai legal system has been swift and severe. Chambers has already been denied bail twice, meaning he was taken into custody immediately and remains imprisoned while his legal team works on appealing the court’s decisions.
Chambers, who earned his PhD in political science at Northern Illinois University, is no stranger to Thai political dynamics. He has lived in the country since 1993 and is widely published on matters of civil-military relations and democratic governance. His work regularly appears on platforms aligned with Thai human rights advocates.
Thailand’s lese-majeste laws have long been criticized for their broad application and severe penalties. Public scrutiny of the monarchy remains tightly controlled, with even neutral or academic discussions running the risk of prosecution.
International observers have raised concerns over Chambers’ arrest. The US State Department issued a statement via Reuters acknowledging the incident. “We regularly urge Thai authorities, both privately and publicly, to protect freedom of expression in accordance with Thailand’s international obligations,” a spokesperson said.
