American Academic Jailed in Thailand for Alleged Royal Insult

Paul Chambers, a political scholar, has been denied bail and faces charges under Thailand’s lese majeste law, raising international concerns over academic freedom.

Paul Chambers, a U.S. academic based in Thailand, has been charged under the lese majeste law and the Computer Crimes Act for allegedly insulting the monarchy through an online post he denies authoring.
Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University, was formally charged after reporting to police and is currently in pre-trial detention following the court's denial of his bail request.
The charges stem from a webinar invitation published in October 2024 on the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute website, which Chambers asserts he neither wrote nor published.
International human rights groups and academic advocates warn that the prosecution poses a serious threat to free speech and academic freedom in Thailand.
This rare case involving a foreign national under Thailand’s lese majeste law highlights the growing use of legal measures to stifle dissent and raises concerns about Thailand's human rights record globally.