Paul Chambers is part of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Naresuan University. Screenshot from the YouTube video of AP. Fair use.
American scholar Paul Wesley Chambers is facing prosecution in Thailand for allegedly insulting the monarchy and violating the country's cybercrime laws. Academics and human rights advocates widely condemned his indictment and warned against the continued weaponization of laws to stifle critical views.
Chambers, who has been living in Thailand for three decades, is a faculty member of Naresuan University, where he lectures on civil-military relations in Southeast Asia. On April 8, he was placed under police custody after he was charged with violating Section 112 of the Criminal Code (Lese Majeste or anti-Royal Insult law) which criminalizes any act that disrespects the monarchy. He was also charged under the Cybercrime Act for allegedly posting a blurb for a webinar on the Thai military sponsored by Singapore’s Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
Chambers has denied the charges filed against him. He was supposed to be released after he appealed the initial rejection of his petition for bail, but immigration authorities revoked his visa. He was finally freed after posting a bail of THB 600,000 (USD 18,000). His brother shared his situation in an interview with 112WATCH, a group that advocates for the reform of Thailand's Section 112 law.
As of April 15, 2025, Paul was out on bail but wearing an ankle monitor. His passport and work visa have been confiscated. The Thai police are going to search his home and electronic devices to try and find any additional information that could further incriminate him on this bogus Lèse-majesté charge of insulting the King.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) reported that since 2020, around 279 people have been charged under Section 112 in 312 cases. Chambers is the first foreigner to be charged under this law.
The Thai military grabbed power in 2014 and drafted a Constitution that ensured its influence in the government. It intensified the use of Section 112 in 2020 to counter the rise of a youth-led movement calling for democratic reforms and the restoration of civilian rule. Military-backed candidates lost in the 2023 election but the parties that formed the new government had reneged on their campaign pledge of initiating a review of Section 112.
Some of Chambers’ notable works include “Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand” and “Khaki Capital: The Political Economy of the Military in Southeast Asia”.
TLHR fears the criminal proceedings against Chambers “will create a chilling effect on public discourse and academic research relating to the Thai military.”
The people and academics must be able to study and present information about public issues without the threat of criminal prosecution looming over their heads. A democratic society can never become a reality if laws continue to be used as an instrument to repress the right to freedom of expression of the people.
It added that “the bail conditions pose unnecessary restrictions on his liberty and professional life.”
The Association for Asian Studies warned against the dire implications of the charges filed against Chamber.
Dr. Chambers is the only scholar charged with violation of these two laws to be indicted and to face any pretrial detention and denial of bail. The case and his arrest constitute a grave threat to academic freedom and have an immediate and chilling impact on the climate of thought and expression in Thailand.
Mark S. Cogan, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Japan's Kansai Gaidai University, underscored the need to push back against the arbitrary actions of the military and defend academic freedoms.
…this is equally about intimidating him and in the process, denying him the right to work in Thailand. His possible deportation would be a clear win for the Thai military, but a crushing blow to any foreign scholar working in the country. If Chambers is silenced, who’s next?
His work is indispensable to academics, analysts, and journalists. He belongs back in the classroom and at his desk.
He also initiated a petition enjoining fellow scholars to support Chambers:
By signing this petition, we hope that we can clear the name of colleague, Dr. Chambers, but send a message to governments (including Thailand), that abusing the law to target or silence academic freedom will not be tolerated and there will be consequences.
Petitioners said they would “not attend conferences or renew memberships in academic associations that hold events in countries that limit academic freedom.”
Human Rights Watch (HRW) noted the increasing difficulty of initiating a discussion around reviewing and reforming Section 112.
The increased use of the lese majeste law has made it more difficult for the police, prosecutors, judges, and other authorities to question the merits of lese majeste allegations, out of concern that they might be accused of disloyalty to the monarchy themselves.
Pravit Rojanaphruk, Senior Staff Writer at Khaosod English, an English-language Thai publication, bemoaned the self-censorship when it comes to the topic of the Thai monarchy.
In a democratic society, or a sane society, asking whether the king or the prime minister is more powerful, is just part of a normal political discussion. To make even the mentioning of such questions a taboo in Thailand, is to further expand the already absurd level of the climate of fears and culture of self-censorship in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Thailand’s House committee plans to summon military officials who filed the complaints against Chambers on April 24.
