It is highly likely that pressure both domestically and especially internationally was a significant factor leading to the Attorney General’s decision not to indict Thailand-based American scholar Paul Chambers under lese majeste law (and the Court of Appeal’s earlier decision to allow the removal of the EM anklet), this week. All in all, Chambers was detained for one night.
Over the past few weeks, there have been movements by foreign academics calling for the royal defamation charges against Chambers to be dropped. Opposition politicians warned that it would affect tariffs negotiations with the US if it wasn’t quickly stopped and asked who would be responsible if massive economic damage occurred as a result.
A Thailand-based Japanese academic Katsuyuki Takahashi held solo protests in front of the Thai Parliament and yesterday at the Immigration Office in Phitsanulok province. An American academic in Japan initiated an online petition. A famous French cartoonist in Thailand, Stephff, who had drawn for both The Nation and Bangkok Post newspapers, took notice and acted, the US Embassy was active behind the scenes, etc.
I can’t help but wonder, if Chambers wasn’t a US citizen and a relatively well-known academic, and Thailand not in the process of a crucial tariffs negotiation with the US, what would Chambers’ predicament be today?
Although, as far as I know, I can attest that Dr Paul Chambers is definitely not the type to boast his status around, the reality is that there are several specific factors that inherently create different classes of people facing the draconian lese majeste law.
Thai people facing this charge often encounter a much harsher fate. Some never even receive any attention from mainstream mass media, and those who do consistently are mostly prominent protest leaders such as Arnon Nampa.
Nevertheless, Anon has been imprisoned for over a year and has not yet been granted bail. Still, Arnon may have a better fate than others facing the wrath of the anachronistic lese majeste law, which is also known as Article 112 of the Criminal Code as the general public may not have even heard about majority of those charged and detained under the law.
To be fair to Anon, Anon or his representatives have used his popular Facebook page to demand the rights of both lesser known, or unknown figures, as well as prominent ones such as Chambers. Just a few days ago, Arnon FB page posted a plea for financial assistance to refill the near-empty donation box to by special food for lese majeste and political prisoners and to support for the families of those imprisoned facing financial hardship.
But the reality is that even among those accused of violating Article 112, charged under Article 112, prosecuted under Article 112, imprisoned under the lese majeste law, and fled into exile, there is an inherent class division based on various factors. These factors include the person’s reputation before the legal prosecution started, their nationality, their social and political connections, their level of education, etc.
And even in the case of Chambers, Naresuan University has this week announced the termination of Chambers’ employment contract, effective May 9, even though the prosecutor had decided not to indict him. Also, his passport has not yet been returned by the Immigration Bureau.
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