Move FM Global News

BANGKOK, Thailand: An American political science teacher, Paul Chambers, is still stuck in Thailand, even though the government dropped charges against him for insulting the Thai monarchy.

His family says his legal troubles are not over, and the case has drawn attention from the U.S. government.

Chambers was arrested last month in a rare case involving a foreigner accused under Thailand’s strict lese-majeste law, which bans criticism of the king or royal family. If convicted, he could face up to 15 years in jail. The royalist army filed the complaint.

His brother, Kit Chambers, stated that Paul is not permitted to leave Thailand, although the reason for this restriction is unclear. The family, including their 85-year-old mother, thought he would return home, but his future is uncertain.

Even though the main charges were dropped two weeks ago, the Thai police may still proceed with the case under a separate computer crime law.

Chambers, who is 58, has lost his job and visa. His passport was taken away. He denies all charges and is fighting to regain his job, visa, and passport.

The case began after a brief description (blurb) of an online seminar he had spoken at was posted on a website outside Thailand. That blurb triggered the charges.

Thailand’s constitution gives the king a special status, and the country’s lese-majeste law is one of the strictest in the world.

U.S. officials are closely monitoring the case. Kit Chambers stated that senior American officials informed him that if the matter isn’t resolved soon, it could impact trade talks and other aspects of the U.S.-Thailand relationship.

Recently, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also criticized Thailand for deporting Uyghurs to China and imposed sanctions on some Thai officials.

The U.S. State Department stated that it is awaiting the Thai police’s response to the prosecutor’s decision to drop the case. It also expressed concern about how Thailand uses lese-majeste laws.

Neither the Thai Foreign Ministry nor the White House provided a comment. Chambers also declined to speak, citing that the case is ongoing. His university did not comment either.

A Thai scholar, Pavin Chachavalpongpun, stated that the case demonstrates how the lese-majeste law is utilized to punish individuals through the legal process itself. He said Chambers’ life has already been deeply affected—his career has been disrupted, his freedom limited, and his legal status left unclear.

Chambers’ lawyer said police might still try to keep the case going, and if they do, Thailand’s attorney general will have the final say.

A police source confirmed the case is still under review but would not give details.

Talking about lese-majeste has long been taboo in Thailand. In fact, a political party was dissolved last year just for suggesting changes to the law. Since the 2020 protests calling for reform, 281 people have been charged under this law. Courts have ruled in 92 cases: 53 resulted in jail sentences, 14 in suspended sentences, and 18 were dropped.

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.”