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Thailand drops royal insult case against American academic

Thailand's attorney general's office dropped lese-majeste charges against American academic Paul Chambers on May 29, 2025, and he has since left the country.
Chambers was arrested in early April 2025 based on a military complaint over his promotion of an online webinar, with initial prosecution hindered by insufficient evidence.
The charges stemmed from a Facebook post citing a webinar blurb about Thai politics, and prosecutors faced criticism for using Thailand's strict lese-majeste law to target critics.
The lese-majeste law mandates 3-15 years imprisonment for defaming or insulting the king or heir, prompting concern from the U.S. government, academic circles, and human rights advocates.
The case's dismissal suggests possible limits on lese-majeste prosecutions, though appeals regarding Chambers' visa revocation and job loss remain unresolved.

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American academic returning to U.S. after Thai charges dropped

An American academic facing up to 15 years in a Thai prison on allegations of insulting the monarchy has been permitted to leave the country and return to the United States.

17 days ago·Washington, United States

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Associated Press News

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Lean Left

US scholar leaves Thailand after charges of insulting monarchy are dropped

17 days ago·United States

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Bloomberg

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Thai Attorneys Drop Royal Insult Charge Against US Academic

17 days ago·United States

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CTV News

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U.S. scholar leaves Thailand after charges of insulting monarchy are dropped

Thailand’s attorney general’s office has confirmed that it will not prosecute an American academic arrested in early April on a charge of royal defamation, his lawyer said Thursday. T

17 days ago·Canada

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Bangkok Post

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Book closed on royal insult case against US academic

The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has dropped royal defamation charges against American academic Paul Chambers , citing a lack of evidence.

17 days ago·Bangkok, Thailand

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Reuters

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Thailand drops royal insult case against American academic

A royal insult prosecution against an American scholar in Thailand that raised concerns in the U.S. government has been dropped, his lawyer said on Thursday, as authorities confirmed the academic had left the country.

17 days ago·United Kingdom

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