US ‘alarmed’ after NIU alum arrested in Thailand, charged with insulting Thai monarchy

DeKALB – An American political science scholar has been arrested and charged in Thailand with insulting the Thai monarchy, the U.S. Department of State announced.

Paul Chambers, 58, a Northern Illinois University alum from Oklahoma, was jailed on Tuesday pending trial, The Associated Press reported. If convicted he could face up to 15 years in prison.

The U.S. government said it was “alarmed” by Chambers’ arrest, according to a statement released Tuesday. The State Department spokesperson said the U.S. is working to assist Chambers in communicating with Thai officials regarding the case, which authorities have alleged centers around the country’s lèse majesté laws, or laws that ban insulting the monarchy.

Chambers teaches at Naresuan University, a public university in northern Thailand, according to his LinkedIn page.

The U.S. said authorities are closely monitoring the situation to ensure Chamber’s wellbeing.

Chambers graduated from NIU in 2003 with a doctorate of philosophy in political science, a university spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.

Chambers also is a contributor to the digital publication Fulcrum. His writing specializes in “civil-military relations and democratization in Southeast Asia,” according to the publication’s website.

The U.S. government urged Thai officials to honor freedom of speech laws.

“This case reinforces our longstanding concerns about the use of lèse majesté laws in Thailand,” the State Department said. “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.”

The Associated Press contributed.