American Lecturer Released on Bail in Thailand After Lese-Majeste Arrest

Paul Chambers, a 58-year-old American lecturer at Naresuan University, has been released on bail following his arrest for allegedly violating Thailand’s strict royal defamation laws, known as lese-majeste, Al Jazeera reports.

Chambers, who has taught in Thailand for over a decade, was detained in Phitsanulok province on Tuesday and released on Thursday after posting bail of 300,000 baht ($8,800), his lawyers confirmed. A trial date has not yet been set.

Chambers’ case highlights the controversial application of Thailand’s lese-majeste laws, which protect the royal family, headed by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, from criticism. These laws, which can carry a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, have been widely criticized for being used to suppress dissent.

The arrest stems from a complaint filed by the Thai military earlier this year regarding an online blurb for a podcast hosted by a think tank website focused on Southeast Asian politics and published outside Thailand. Following the arrest, the immigration bureau revoked Chambers’ visa, though he will not be deported until the legal process is complete, according to a Reuters source within immigration.

The US State Department has expressed concern over Chambers’ arrest, reinforcing its longstanding concerns about Thailand’s use of the lese-majeste law.

International watchdogs have echoed these concerns, highlighting the increasing use of Article 112, as the lese-majeste law is known, against academics, activists, and students. The article notes that Thailand has seen several severe sentences handed down under the law, including a man in northern Thailand jailed for at least 50 years last year and a woman sentenced to 43 years in 2021. In 2023, another man was jailed for two years for selling satirical calendars featuring rubber ducks, which a court deemed defamatory to the king.