Who is Paul Chambers, US academic facing jail for insulting Thailand’s monarchy?

A US academic is facing jail for insulting Thailand’s monarchy.

Paul Chambers, an American scholar, has been detained under the Kingdom’s strict lese-majeste law.

Chambers was earlier denied by bail by Thailand’s Phitsanulok Provincial Court.

A warrant for his arrest was issued last week after a complaint by Thailand’s army. Chambers has also been charged with a computer crime violation.

But who is Chambers? What do we know about him?

Let’s take a closer look

Who is he?

As per CNA, Chambers is a lecturer at northern Thailand’s Naresuan University.

As per CNN, he works at the university’s Centre of ASEAN Community Studies.

He is also a visiting fellow at ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute – a research institute in Singapore.

He also regularly offers opinions in news articles on Southeast Asia for a variety of publications including CNN.

As per Chambers’ LinkedIn page, he first came to Thailand around 30 years ago.

He has since spent decades lecturing and researching in the country including writing books on the military.

As per Bangkok Post, Chambers has a PhD in political science from Northern Illinois University.

He has lived in Thailand since 1993 and is a special adviser on international affairs at Naresuan University.

What is the case against him?

As per Bangkok Post, Chambers reported to the Muang district police station on Tuesday.

His wife Napisa Waitoolkiat, dean of the university’s Faculty of Social Sciences, officials from the US Consulate in Chiang Mai and a lawyer were with him.

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As per BBC, the army has accused Chambers of “defamation, contempt or malice” towards the royal family, “importing false computer data” in a way “likely to damage national security or cause public panic”, and disseminating computer data “that may affect national security.”

Wannaphat Jenroumjit, a lawyer for Chambers, said the accusations stemmed from a blurb for an online academic seminar last year at which he was a speaker. The blurb was posted on a website of a research institute based outside of Thailand, Wannaphat said.

“He has denied all charges,” said Wannaphat, a lawyer with the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group.

Chambers told CNN he had no idea why he was being charged.

He said he was afraid he “could be imprisoned for 15 years.”

What do experts say?

They say the case could backfire.

“The cost to the Thai military is high because it will attract the kind of international attention and scrutiny the army wants to avoid,” Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist from Chulalongkorn University, told CNN.

“This case tightens the lid on academic freedom, and will reinforce the closing of Thai minds and undermine the intellectual and research ecosystem necessary to foster ideas and innovation to propel the Thai economy forward.”

They say academic freedom is under attack.

Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate, advocacy lead for the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre, told BBC, “When people take to the streets to demand monarchy reforms, they face the risk of political prosecution. Now, when academics write or discuss about those issues in academic settings, it seems they also face the same risk of political prosecution.”

The charges against Chambers are a “tightening chokehold on free speech and academic freedom in Thailand,” Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand researcher for Human Rights Watch, told CNN.

“Paul is considered a major target by ultra-royalist groups, which have launched multiple attacks against him for years — ranging from online disinformation and hate campaigns to pressing authorities to revoke his visa and get him expulsed from the university.”

Thailand’s lese-majeste law.

Thailand’s monarchy is protected by Section 112 of the country’s penal code, which says anyone found guilty of defaming, insulting or threatening the king, queen, heir apparent or regent shall be punished with imprisonment of three to 15 years.

Thai royalists consider the monarchy sacrosanct.

Public discussion of the law has for decades been a taboo issue, with dozens of people jailed for perceived insults of the crown.

Since student-led, anti-government protests in 2020 that saw calls to abolish the law, 279 people have been charged with lese-majeste, according to data compiled by the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights group. Foreigners are rarely prosecuted.

Several prominent student leaders who made calls to scrap the law have since been imprisoned.

Asked about Chambers, the US State Department said it was concerned about the arrest of a US citizen.

“We regularly urge Thai authorities, both privately and publicly, to protect freedom of expression in accordance with Thailand’s international obligations,” a spokesperson said.