Bangkok
CNN
–
Thai state prosecutors announced Thursday that they have no intention of suing a charge of a US academic arrest, arrested for a royal family’s delinquent mercy.
Last month, the arrest of Paul Chambers, a lecturer in political science at Naresian University in northern Fitanulok, sparked concerns from the academic community, particularly from Asian studies scholars around the world and the US government.
The decision not to prosecute the 58-year-old Oklahoma native would not immediately clear the charges of shaming a monarchy, also known as “Lèse Majesté,” or violating the Computer Crime Act, which covers online activities.
The announcement said that the State Prosecutor Fitanullock will withdraw the charges in the state court and request that the case files and non-promotion orders be forwarded to the Commissioner of the State Police Area 6.
Chambers, a 58-year-old Oklahoma native who received his PhD in Politics from Northern Illinois University, was arrested in early April on a complaint from the Northern Regional Army Internal Security Operations Command.
He has studied the power and influence of the Thai military, which plays a major role in politics. Since Thailand became a constitutional monarchy in 1932, it has recently performed 13 coups 11 years ago.
The Army’s Internal Security Operations Command said that the Parliamentary investigation had filed a complaint that Singapore think tank Iseas – Yusof Ishak Institute had translated a webinar on Thai politics as participant from a website run by the Iseas – Yusof Ishak Institute.
Chambers supporters said the webinar blurb cited in his charge sheet as evidence was not written by him.
He was jailed two nights in April after reporting to Fitanullock police, and was later granted bail on several conditions, including wearing an ankle monitor. The court on Tuesday allowed him to remove his device.
Chambers’ visa was revoked at the time of his arrest under the immigration law, which prohibits entry to foreigners deemed to be able to engage in activities against public order or good morality, prostitution, smuggling and drug trafficking. It was not immediately clear whether the lapse would occur.
“The incident reinforces years of concern regarding the use of the Lèse Majesté law in Thailand,” a statement from the US State Department said after Chambers’ arrest. “We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that the law is not used to suppress permitted expression.”
Thai Lèse Majesté Law seeks three to 15 years in prison for anyone who slander, humiliates or threatens a king, queen, heir, or regent. Critics say it’s one such strict law everywhere and is also used to punish critics in the government and military.
Monarchies have long been considered a pillar of Thai society, and they criticize them as being strictly taboo in the past. Conservative Thais still think it cannot be touched, especially in the military and courts.
However, public debate on the topic has grown over the past decade, especially among young people, and the student-led democratic protests that began in 2020 have begun to openly criticize the institutions.
It led to intense prosecution under previously used laws. Lawyers for the legal aid group’s human rights group say that since early 2020, more than 270 people (many of its student activists) have been accused of violating the law.
