Former Associate Paul Chambers Brought Up on Lèse Majesté

We are gravely concerned about the treatment of our former Visiting Fellow and Associate Paul Chambers. Dr. Chambers works at Naresuan University in Thailand and is one of the leading experts on the role of the military and domestic politics in the country. In April 2025 he was brought up on charges of defamation of the royal family (lèse majesté) – punishable by imprisonment of up to 15 years – and violations of the Computer Crime Act. The charges brought against him seem dubious. We will closely monitor the treatment of Dr. Chambers and expect fair treatment. We also support the statement of the Association for Asian Studies concerning his case and call for the respect of academic freedom in Thailand and beyond.