Overview

• Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University, has been detained in Thailand on allegations of insulting the monarchy and violating the Computer Crimes Act.
• The charges stem from an October 2024 webinar blurb about military reshuffles, which Chambers denies authoring or publishing.
• The Phitsanulok Provincial Court denied Chambers bail, citing his foreign status and the severity of potential penalties, which could reach 15 years per offense.
• Human rights groups and international observers, including the U.S. State Department, have expressed alarm over the case's implications for academic freedom and free speech.
• This rare prosecution of a foreign national under Thailand’s lese majeste law highlights ongoing concerns about its use to suppress dissent and criticism of the monarchy.