Latest news with #lesemajeste
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
American academic returning to U.S. after Thai charges dropped
May 30 (UPI) -- An American academic facing up to 15 years in a Thai prison on allegations of insulting the monarchy has been permitted to leave the country, according to a nonprofit that advocates for Americans imprisoned abroad. Global Reach told UPI in an emailed statement that Paul Chambers was permitted to leave Thailand on Thursday after resolving what it called "false" lese-majeste charges. "I am relieved that this situation has been resolved," Chambers said in a statement. "I have always had great respect for the Thai royal family, and anyone who knows me understands that these charges were always based on false allegations by unnamed parties in the military." Chambers, a Thai studies scholar and lecturer at Thailand's Naresuan University, was arrested and charged by Thai authorities in April following a complaint filed against him by the military over an October online post promoting a webinar that he was to participate in. The English-language post was published on the website of Singapore's ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute. The academic webinar was on Thai studies, and Chambers, a leading expert on the Thai military and Southeast Asian politics, gave a talk about the Thai military. Chambers was not involved in the post's creation. According to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, Chambers was allowed to leave the country after the Attorney General's Office announced Wednesday that prosecutors decided not to continue the case against the American. Prosecutors made the decision in early May, but the attorney general needed to affirm the decision. Chambers was originally detained April 9, but was later permitted to leave police custody and was required to wear an ankle monitor and surrender his U.S. passport and work visa, Global Reach said. Following his arrest, the U.S. State Department issued a statement saying it was monitoring Chambers' situation while condemning the controversial lese-majeste law. Kieran Ramsey, who worked with Chambers on behalf of Global Reach, praised the United States for its response to the case, saying, "This was one of the best responses I have ever seen from the U.S. government." According to Global Reach, Chambers will return to Oklahoma to see his family and will work from the United States. More than 270 people have been detained, prosecuted and punished under the lese-majeste laws since 2020, according to an expert panel from United Nations that said such laws "have no place in a democratic country."
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
American academic in limbo in Thailand over royal insult case
Paul Chambers has lost his work visa and job at Naresuan University. (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre pic) BANGKOK : An American scholar remains in Thailand after prosecutors dropped charges against him of insulting the monarchy, his family said, as his legal jeopardy continues in a case that has raised concern in the US government. Paul Chambers, a lecturer on political science, was arrested last month in a rare case of lese-majeste against a foreigner. He could face up to 15 years in jail, based on a complaint filed by the royalist army. 'He's not allowed to leave the country, we are not sure exactly why,' his brother Kit Chambers told Reuters. His family in the US, including his 85-year-old mother, thought he would be coming home but he remains in legal limbo, his brother said. Although the state prosecutor dropped its charges two weeks ago, police could still pursue the case, which includes a charge of computer crime. Chambers, 58, has lost his work visa and job at Naresuan University, and his passport was seized. He denies the charges, has appealed against the revocation of his visa and confiscation of his passport and is contesting his dismissal. The charges stemmed from a blurb for an online academic seminar at which he was a speaker, said a lawyer for Chambers. The blurb was posted last year on the website of a research institute based outside Thailand. Thailand's constitution enshrines the king in a position of 'revered worship', and royalists regard the palace as sacrosanct. One of the world's strictest lese-majeste laws forbids defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn or his close family. Diplomatic issue Chambers' case could add to Thai-US tensions, as Bangkok seeks relief from President Donald Trump's tariffs on its exports. The case has attracted 'very senior-level attention' from US officials, Kit Chambers said, declining to identify officials he had been in contact with. 'These senior officials assured me that if this issue is not resolved soon, it could not only impact trade talks with Thailand but it could also impact other aspects of the US-Thai relationship,' he said. Secretary of state Marco Rubio recently condemned Thailand's deportation of at least 40 Uyghurs to China, announcing sanctions on some Thai officials. A spokesman for the state department declined to comment on the Chambers case's impact on bilateral relations but said it was awaiting a decision by police to carry out the prosecutor's recommendation and swiftly dismiss this case. The department has said the 'case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lese-majeste laws in Thailand'. The US trade representative's office and the Thai foreign ministry declined to comment. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. Paul Chambers declined to be interviewed due to the ongoing legal process. Naresuan University declined to comment. Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai academic at Japan's Kyoto University and a critic of the Thai monarchy, said Chambers' case showed the lese-majeste law was 'a legal weapon that inflicts punishment by process' and can 'paralyse lives'. 'Even though the charges were dropped, the damage is already done – his career has been disrupted, his legal status left in limbo and his ability to move freely effectively revoked,' Pavin said. A Thai government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Pavin's assertions. Taboo discussion Police can challenge the prosecutors' decision to drop the case. If so, Thailand's attorney-general would have the final say, said Yaowalak Anuphan, the head of Chambers' legal team. 'The criminal case is not completed yet,' she said. A police officer with knowledge of the matter, who declined to be identified because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said the case was still being considered. Public discussion of the lese-majeste law has for decades been taboo. A court last year dissolved the party that won Thailand's 2023 election over its campaign to amend the law. Since anti-government protests in 2020 that included calls to abolish the law, 281 people have been charged with lese-majeste, according to Thai Lawyers for Human Rights. Among the 92 cases courts have ruled on since then, 53 ended in jail sentences and 14 had suspended sentences, the group said. Charges were dropped in 18 cases. All that Chambers' family wants now is for him to come home as quickly as possible, his brother said. 'Another worry is during this time that he is just in limbo, that more charges – false charges – could be brought against him,' he said. 'That would put him right back at square one.'
Free Malaysia Today
5 days ago
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Thailand drops royal insult case against American academic
Authorities confirmed the academic had left the country. (Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre pic) BANGKOK : A royal insult prosecution against an American scholar in Thailand that raised concerns in the US government has been dropped, his lawyer said on Thursday, as authorities confirmed the academic had left the country. Paul Chambers, 58, a political science lecturer, had been in legal limbo since his arrest last month on a lese-majeste charge, which led to the loss of his job, his work visa and the seizure of his passport. Thailand has one of the world's harshest lese-majeste laws, setting jail terms of up to 15 years for anyone convicted of defaming, insulting or threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his close family. The prosecutor earlier this month dropped the case against Chambers but police appealed that decision. The attorney-general overruled the appeal earlier this week, said Chambers' lawyer, Wannaphat Jenroumjit. 'The case is now concluded,' she said, adding the legal team was appealing the revocation of his work visa. The US state department had expressed alarm at the arrest of Chambers, saying the case 'reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lese-majeste laws in Thailand'. The charges against him, which came after a complaint by the royalist army, had stemmed from a blurb for an online academic seminar at which he was a speaker, according to his lawyers. The blurb was posted last year on the website of a research institute based outside of Thailand. Chambers could not be contacted for comment on Thursday. Thailand's constitution enshrines the king in a position of 'revered worship' and royalists regard the palace as sacrosanct. A party that won the 2023 election was dissolved last year over its campaign to amend the lese-majeste law, under which more than 280 people have been charged since 2020, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights legal aid group, which also represented Chambers. Thai immigration police confirmed Chambers' passport had been returned to him and that he had left the country earlier on Thursday. 'The case is closed as the attorney-general decided to drop it,' police major general Sarawut Khonyai, a commander of immigration police in northern Thailand, told Reuters.
News.com.au
17-05-2025
- Politics
- News.com.au
‘Spine chilling': Huge warning for Aussies going to Thailand
American academic Dr Paul Chambers has become the latest victim of Thailand 's draconian lese majeste law. It is an archaic piece of legislation that prohibits criticism of the Thai royal family and which is known as one of the most severe laws of its kind on the planet. Dr Chambers was jailed, had his visa revoked and was prohibited from leaving Thailand after being charged under the lese majeste law in early April. Lese majeste or lese majesty is listed under Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code and prohibits criticism of the royal family, with potential sentences ranging from between three to 15 years in prison. Few countries in the world have such strict laws when it comes to criticism of the monarchy. Dr Chambers, who teaches at Naresuan University in northern Thailand, was arrested following a webinar invitation entitled: Thailand's 2024 Military Reshuffles: What Do They Mean? published by the ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore. Chambers did not write or publish the offending invitation and was only listed as a visiting fellow at ISEAS who was due to give the webinar in October 2024. Although the public prosecutor declined to indict him in early May and he is no longer in prison, the academic still faces ongoing issues as his visa status in the country remains in limbo. Professor Mark Cogan, Associate Professor of Peace and Conflict Studies at Kansai Gaidai University in Japan, told that the case against Dr Chambers had shed light on two important red flags in the rule of law in Thailand. 'First, it has been very clear that lese majeste has been used in the past to silence those who have expressed dissent,' he said. 'Whether that be political opponents, political parties, human rights defenders, and even rather benign criticism of past governments. 'Dr Chambers' case reminds us that the law can easily be weaponised in Thailand, even when the complaint is weak. 'Second, the case also demonstrates the fragile ecosystem that academics must navigate, particularly those like Dr Chambers who study civil-military relations or those working on human rights issues, as they can easily be misinterpreted. 'While formal charges against foreign academics are still rare, the use of the law is now also a reminder to Thai academics of the consequences of running afoul of what are vaguely worded laws in the Thai Criminal Code.' Chambers is a specialist in relations between civilians and the military in Thailand and democracy across Southeast Asia. While the maximum sentence under the lese majeste law is 15 years in prison, Thai courts can hand down multiple sentences for separate crimes which can lead to much longer periods of incarceration. In 2024, a Thai man was sentenced to an accumulative 50 years in prison for comments he made about the monarchy. Others have also been sentenced for making cartoons about the royal family and dressing in clothing perceived to imitate them – which is not allowed. Professor Cogan added that the danger of Article 112 is in its wording and how it is continually weaponised against suspected opposition, as application is often random and sentencing can be brutal. 'Benign acts of free expression can be met with a malignant and vindictive response from anyone wishing to file a formal complaint. It is not only a weapon that can send someone to prison, but can lead to unknown, but potentially countless acts of self-censorship.' Chambers' lawyers said that the police had deemed that the webinar invitation contained false information and was offensive as 'the kind did not exercise powers to restructure the military or appoint high-ranking national security officials. To say otherwise would be an insult to the king and would tarnish the king's reputation and dignity.' Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher on Thailand at Human Rights Watch, told that 'the baseless charges against Paul Chambers represent a tightening chokehold on free speech and academic freedom in Thailand.' 'It is a spine chilling message that no one – Thai and foreigners – can make even the slightest criticism about the monarchy for any reason. Chambers is widely known for his research on civil-military relations and the roles of the monarchy in Thailand. Because of that, the conservative military and royalist groups have targeted him for many years, including by propagating online hate campaigns and by pressing Thai authorities to revoke his visa and have him expelled from the university.' Phasuk added that the number of lese majeste cases in Thailand has been rapidly increasing. 'Thai authorities have in recent years prosecuted at least 272 people on charges of insulting the monarchy. Those arrested, including many for writing or reposting on social media, have often been held in lengthy detention without access to bail.' Prior to the pandemic, around 800,000 Australians visited Thailand annually, with numbers slowly returning to pre-pandemic levels over the last few years. According to 'Insulting the monarchy, or defacing images of the monarchy – including on a bank note bearing the King's image – can lead to prison terms of up to 15 years.' With the rise of the internet and social media, travellers to Thailand also need to be aware of what they post online or any posts they may react to about the monarchy. Professor Cogan said that, for safety, tourists should exercise caution, particularly in areas that might have political activity or protests. 'These times may be rare, but it is appropriate to be mindful of the 'wrong place, wrong time' scenario, to avoid unintended consequences.' 'Naturally, people have political opinions and it is quite topical in other countries to share them in public, but some topics are sensitive in Thailand. Regardless of one's opinion, the sad reality is that an act of free expression can unwittingly cause difficulties or discomfort for Thais,' he said 'This is an unfortunate consequence when routine free expression is not a fully normal part of public life.'
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Urgent warning about little-known law for Aussies planning a trip to Thailand
Aussies are being warned about a law considered one of the strictest in the world that penalises both locals and foreigners from criticising the Thai Royal family. American academic Dr Paul Chambers was jailed, had his passport seized and lost both his visa and his job at the Naresuan University after he was arrested over a webinar titled ' Thailand 's 2024 Military Reshuffles: What Do They Mean?'. Dr Chambers was charged in April for breaking Thailand's lese majeste law which carries a jail sentence of between three and fifteen years. The professor is barred from leaving the South East Asian country under Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code despite not writing or publishing the webinar. The lecturer was described at the university as a visiting fellow who was due to present the webinar in June, after it was first published by academics in Singapore. 'He's not allowed to leave the country, we are not sure exactly why,' his brother Kit Chambers told Reuters. Dr Chambers is considered an expert in the relationship between the military and civilians in Thailand and other countries in South East Asia. In 2024, a Thai man was sentenced to 50 years in prison on multiple sentences for derogatory comments he made about the Royal family. The number of people accused of breaking the lese majeste laws is on the rise with at least 272 charged in recent years. Thailand's constitution places the King in a position of 'revered worship' with the palace seen as sacrosanct - or too valuable to be interfered with. Maha Vajiralongkorn has ruled as Thailand's King since 2016 and is the tenth monarch to lead the country from the Chakri dynasty. He has become known for his luxurious lifestyle and $43million fortune as well as his 'hands-on' approach to ruling in harsh contrast to his father who ruled for 70 years. King Vajiralongkorn, who married his fourth wife Suthida Bajrasudhabimalalakshana in 2019, reportedly owns 38 aircraft, 300 luxury vehicles and 50 boats. Aussies have been told to heed the travel warning before flying to Thailand. 'Insulting the monarchy, or defacing images of the monarchy – including on a bank note bearing the King's image – can lead to prison terms of up to 15 years,' a notice on states. Social media posts that criticise the Royal family can also land the estimated 800,000 Aussies who fly to Thailand each year in hot water.
