Naresuan University terminates Chambers after Article 112 case dropped
Naresuan University terminates Paul Chambers after prosecutors drop Article 112 case; Meanwhile, Phitsanulok Immigration confiscates his recently returned passport despite pending visa revocation appeal.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights reported on May 2, 2025, that Naresuan University's Faculty of Social Sciences terminated the employment of Paul Chambers, a special lecturer, effective from April 9. The dismissal followed a notification from immigration authorities that his permission to stay in Thailand had been revoked.
The decision, signed by Assoc Prof Panu Bhuddhawong, Vice President for Administration, acting on behalf of the university president.
The university cited that Chambers no longer met the legal requirements to work in Thailand after immigration authorities classified him as ineligible to remain in the country.
Chambers had been accused under Article 112 of the Thai Criminal Code—the lèse majesté law—which carries heavy penalties and is a politically sensitive issue in Thailand. Although the public prosecutor decided early this week not to indict him, the visa revocation remained in effect, prompting Chambers to appeal to the Immigration Commission.
Despite the criminal case being dropped, Chambers was required to post a 300,000 baht bail and must report monthly to immigration. His passport was also confiscated under bail conditions. Without a valid visa or work permit, he now faces the risk of deportation if the Immigration Commission upholds the original revocation.
Chambers is an American political science and security expert focused on Southeast Asia. His academic work and interviews often critique the role of the Thai military and political system, views that authorities may have deemed in violation of Article 112, leading to his legal troubles and eventual dismissal.
