American academic Paul Chambers has been granted bail while he awaits trial on a charge of royal defamation, but he still faces the threat of having his visa to stay in Thailand revoked.
The Court of Appeal Region Six approved Mr Chambers’ release late Wednesday on a surety of 300,000 baht, Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in a post on X on Thursday.
As well, his lawyers said, his passport has been seized and he must wear an electronic monitoring bracelet.
Mr Chambers, who had his visa revoked by the Immigration Bureau after being charged this week, has until Friday at 4pm to overturn the order, the legal-aid group said.
Even if his visa revocation is upheld, Mr Chambers would not be deported from Thailand until the court process is completed, an immigration officer speaking on condition of anonymity told Reuters.
However, he must report to the immigration office in Phitsanulok province every 30 days while he is out on bail, TLHR said.
Human Rights Watch had called for Mr Chambers’ immediate release, saying that his “baseless prosecution poses a serious threat to academic freedom and free speech in Thailand”.
The US State Department also said it was “alarmed” by the arrest and detention of the 58-year-old academic, who has lived in Thailand since 1993.
Police earlier obtained a warrant to search Mr Chambers’ office at Naresuan University in Phitsanulok, where he is a lecturer and special adviser on international affairs. They seized a laptop computer and some other items.
The Phitsanulok Provincial Court on Tuesday had denied his initial request for bail after Mr Chambers reported to local police to answer the charge filed under Section 112 of the Criminal Code, the lese-majeste law.
The complaint against Mr Chambers was filed by the Third Army Region. In addition to lese-majeste, he is charged with violating the Computer Crime Act. The two charges are frequently used together.
Lese-majeste is punishable by between 3 and 15 years in prison.
Lawyers said the complaint stemmed from content published on an academic website to promote a webinar Mr Chambers gave about the annual Thai military and police reshuffles in October 2024.
The original promotional blurb, which has since been edited online, reportedly contained content deemed offensive to the monarchy. Mr Chambers said he did not write the copy in question.
The House committee on military affairs has invited the Third Army Region to a meeting on April 17 to explain why it took action against the lecturer. It has also invited the American Embassy to send a representative to listen, according to committee chairman Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, deputy leader of the opposition People’s Party.
Mr Chambers, who holds a PhD in political science from Northern Illinois University, is well-known in academic circles as a commentator on civil-military relations and democracy in Asia, with a special focus on Thailand.
His books include Khaki Capital: The Political Economy of the Military in Southeast Asia, and Praetorian Kingdom: A History of Military Ascendancy in Thailand.
