Northern Illinois University alum arrested in Thailand, charged with insulting monarchy

The U.S. government was "alarmed" by the arrest of an American scholar on Tuesday in Thailand for allegedly insulting the Thai monarchy.

Paul Chambers, who earned his doctorate at Northern Illinois University, was detained after he was reported to police in Phitsanulok province in under "lese majeste" or laws that ban insulting the monarchy, according to Human Rights Watch.

What we know:

Elaine Pearson, the Asia director at Human Rights Watch, said Thai authorities have used the nation’s royal insult laws to "abuse Thai citizens but now seem intent on violating the rights of foreigners," and called the charges against Chambers "baseless."

The advocacy organization said Chambers was arrested in connection with a blurb advertising an academic webinar about the Thai security forces in October 2024. The army alleged the blurb was critical of the monarchy, which Chambers denied, according to Human Rights Watch.

Chambers received his doctorate in political science from NIU in 2003, according to his LinkedIn page.

What they're saying:

In a statement, the U.S. State Department said it was alarmed by the arrest of Chambers and that officials were "closely monitoring the situation."

"This case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lèse majesté laws in Thailand. We continue to urge Thai authorities to respect freedom of expression and to ensure that laws are not used to stifle permitted expression. As a treaty ally of Thailand, we will closely monitor this issue and advocate for the fair treatment of Paul Chambers," a State Department spokesperson said in a statement.

The State Department added that Chambers is being given assistance from the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok and that U.S. officials have requested access to him to ensure his well-being.