The Phitsanulok Provincial Court on Tuesday denied a request for bail by a prominent American academic facing a charge of royal defamation.
Paul Chambers, a lecturer and special adviser on international affairs at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, reported to police at the Muang district station in the northern province to acknowledge the charge. He was accompanied by his wife Napisa Waitoolkiat, dean of the university’s Faculty of Social Sciences, along with officials from the US Consulate in Chiang Mai and a lawyer.
An arrest warrant was issued by the court on Monday last week, but no summons had been issued prior to the warrant, said his lawyer, Wannaphat Jenroumjit.
His legal team said they would file another bail request and increase the cash surety. They said their client has a medical condition and would be happy to follow conditions set by the court, such as having a supervisor appointed and being required to report to the court.
The complaint against Mr Chambers was filed by the Third Army Region. In addition to a charge under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese-majeste act, he is charged with violating the Computer Crime Act. The two charges are frequently used together.
Lese-majeste is punishable by between 3 and 15 years in prison.
“He was accused of publishing a blurb on the (Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) website in connection with an ISEAS webinar in October 2024 about military reshuffles,” said Akarachai Chaimaneekarakate, advocacy lead for Thai Lawyers for Human Rights (TLHR) and a member of Mr Chambers’ legal team.
“He denied all charges. He neither wrote nor published the blurb on the website,” Mr Akarachai told CNN.
Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s court appearance, Mr Chambers told CNN he had been told little about why he was charged and feared he “could be imprisoned for 15 years”.
Mr Chambers, who holds a PhD in political science from Northern Illinois University, is well-known in academic circles as a commentator on civil-military relations and democracy in Asia, with a special focus on Thailand. He has lived in Thailand since 1993.
His books include Khaki Capital: The Political Economy of the Military in Southeast Asia, and Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand.
According to data from TLHR to March 31 this year, 1,962 people have been prosecuted for political participation and expression since the beginning of the Free Youth protests in July 2020. At least 278 are facing charges under Section 112 and 156 have been charged with sedition under Section 116. (Story continues below)
Academic Paul Chambers (left), prepares to leave the Phitsanulok police station for a court appearance on Tuesday, after reporting to acknowledge a charge of royal defamation. The court denied him bail and ordered him detained. (Photo: Chinnawat Singha)
Concern for academic freedom
Advocates say the charges against Mr Chambers pose a threat to academic freedom in Thailand.
“Unlike other lese-majeste cases, this case involves an extremely well-established academic whose work focuses very deeply on the civil-military relations in Thailand and whose expertise is widely acknowledged within the academic community,” Mr Akarachai told CNN.
The US Department of State said on Monday that it was “concerned” by the reports of the scholar’s arrest and was providing consular assistance.
“We regularly urge Thai authorities, both privately and publicly, to protect freedom of expression in accordance with Thailand’s international obligations,” a spokesperson said.
The charges against Mr Chambers represent a “tightening chokehold on free speech and academic freedom in Thailand”, said Sunai Phasuk, senior Thailand researcher for Human Rights Watch.
“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 expelled from the university,” Mr Sunai told CNN.
Very few foreign nationals have faced lese-majeste charges. In 2011, Thai-born American Joe Gordon was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after posting a link to a book he was involved in translating, which had been banned in Thailand. He was later released after receiving a royal pardon
The high-profile nature of the Chambers case could backfire on the military and have wider impacts on Thai society, said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist from Chulalongkorn University and a regular contributor to the Bangkok Post.
“The cost to the Thai military is high because it will attract the kind of international attention and scrutiny the army wants to avoid,” he 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.”
