Thailand drops royal insult case against American academic

BANGKOK — A royal insult prosecution against an American student successful Thailand that raised concerns successful the U.S. authorities has been dropped, his lawyer said Thursday, arsenic authorities confirmed the world had near the country.

Paul Chambers, 58, a governmental subject lecturer, had been successful ineligible limbo since his apprehension past period connected a lese-majeste charge, which led to the nonaccomplishment of his job, his enactment visa and the seizure of his passport.

“I americium relieved that this concern has been resolved. I person ever had large respect for the Thai royal household and anyone who knows maine understands that these charges were ever based connected mendacious allegations by unnamed parties successful the military,” Chambers said successful a connection issued by Global Reach, a non-profit dedicated to freeing Americans held overseas that worked with his family.

Chambers, who archetypal came to Thailand arsenic a Peace Corps unpaid successful 1993, said helium was returning to the U.S. but “will support my galore friendships with the radical of Thailand.”

Thailand has 1 of the world’s harshest lese-majeste laws, mounting jailhouse presumption of up to 15 years for anyone convicted of defaming, insulting oregon threatening King Maha Vajiralongkorn and his adjacent family.

The authoritative earlier this period dropped the lawsuit against Chambers but constabulary appealed that decision. The attorney-general overruled the entreaty earlier this week, said Chambers’ lawyer, Wannaphat Jenroumjit.

“The lawsuit is present concluded,” she said, adding the ineligible squad was appealing the revocation of his enactment visa.

The U.S. State Department had expressed alarm astatine the apprehension of Chambers, saying the lawsuit “reinforces our longstanding concerns astir the usage of lese-majeste laws successful Thailand.”

The charges against him, which came aft a ailment by the royalist army, had stemmed from a blurb for an online world seminar astatine which helium was a speaker, according to his lawyers. The blurb was posted past twelvemonth connected the website of a probe institute based extracurricular Thailand.

Thailand’s constitution enshrines the king successful a presumption of “revered worship” and royalists respect the palace arsenic sacrosanct.

A enactment that won the 2023 predetermination was dissolved past year implicit its run to amend the lese-majeste law, nether which much than 280 radical person been charged since 2020, according to the Thai Lawyers for Human Rights ineligible assistance group, which besides represented Chambers.

Thai migration constabulary confirmed Chambers’ passport had been returned to him and that helium had near the state earlier connected Thursday.

“The lawsuit is closed arsenic the attorney-general decided to driblet it,” Police Major General Sarawut Khonyai, a commandant of migration constabulary successful bluish Thailand, told Reuters.