US academic granted bail but remains behind bars

Puntid Tantivangphaisal5 hours agoLast Updated: Thursday, April 10, 2025

57 1 minute read

US academic granted bail but remains behind bars — Photo courtesy of Human Rights Watch

An American academic accused of royal defamation remains locked up despite a court granting him bail, as Thai Immigration drags its feet on his release.

Dr Paul Chambers, a lecturer at Naresuan University’s ASEAN Community Studies Institute, was granted bail by the Court of Appeals Region 6. But the saga is far from over. His lawyer must convince the Immigration Bureau to follow suit before he can walk free.

According to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre, “the lawyer must still follow up with the Immigration Bureau to request bail for the accused.” Chambers, held at Phitsanulok Provincial Prison, will remain in custody until immigration officials process his release.

The legal storm began when the Phitsanulok Provincial Court issued an arrest warrant under Section 112 of the Criminal Code — Thailand’s notorious lèse majesté law — and the Computer Crimes Act. The complaint was filed by the Third Army Region.

US academic granted bail but remains behind bars | News by Thaiger — Screenshot from NBCDFW video

Chambers, who holds a post at the Faculty of Social Sciences at Naresuan University, was arrested on Monday, April 8, at Phitsanulok City Police Station. He was accompanied by US Embassy officials, interpreters, and lawyers from the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights Centre as he surrendered to the police.

The charges are linked to a 2024 article allegedly posted on the website of the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute, a respected Singapore-based academic institution.

The article reportedly contained content deemed defamatory towards the Thai monarchy, reported Bangkok Biz News.

Chambers, however, has firmly denied the allegations.

“He did not post the article and was not involved in managing the website,” his legal team stated.

At 12.47am today, April 10, Immigration officials in Phitsanulok finally agreed to grant Chambers bail, setting the deposit at 300,000 baht. He must report to immigration officials every 30 days.

Meanwhile, Chambers’ lawyer is preparing to appeal a separate decision to revoke his visa. The appeal must be filed within 48 hours.

Puntid Tantivangphaisal

Originally from Hong Kong, Puntid moved to Bangkok in 2020 to pursue further studies in translation. She holds a Bachelor's degree in Comparative Literature from the University of Hong Kong. Puntid spent 8 years living in Manchester, UK. Before joining The Thaiger, Puntid has been a freelance translator for 2 years. In her free time, she enjoys swimming and listening to music, as well as writing short fiction and poetry.