An American academic, who has resided in Thailand for many years, is facing charges of royal defamation after the army filed a complaint.
Paul Chambers, a lecturer and special adviser on international affairs at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, is due to present himself at the police station on Tuesday, April 8, to respond to the charge, as informed by Sunai Phasuk, a senior Thailand researcher for Human Rights Watch.
According to Mr. Sunai, following negotiations with the university’s president, the police who visited the university on Friday decided against detaining Mr. Chambers.
The complaint, initiated by the Third Army Region, concerns a lecture given by Mr. Chambers last year on military reshuffles, which allegedly included insulting remarks about the monarchy.
Mr. Chambers might also face a charge under the computer crime law, a statute often coupled with the lese-majeste charge under Section 112 of the Criminal Code.
The lese-majeste law carries a potential sentence of three to fifteen years in prison.
Mr. Chambers expressed to AFP that despite feeling intimidated by these events, he has received support from the US embassy and his university colleagues.
Holding a PhD in political science from Northern Illinois University, Mr. Chambers is recognized as an expert in civil-military relations and democracy in Asia, particularly in Thailand.
His published works include “Khaki Capital: The Political Economy of the Military in Southeast Asia” and “Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand.”
