April 21, 2025 (from 112Watch)

112WATCH interviews American scholar, Michael G. Vann, on the lèse-majesté case against fellow American scholar Paul Chambers.

Excerpt:

112WATCH: To what extent does the Paul Chambers case reflect a growing climate of self-censorship among foreign academics and journalists working in Thailand and Southeast Asia?

Michael Vann: "I think it is clear that Paul Chambers’ arrest was meant to send a wider message to scholars of Southeast Asian politics. The affair is definitely designed to intimidate academics and journalists who touch on unwelcomed topics. This will impact younger colleagues who are earlier in their career and don’t enjoy the protections and privileges of tenure or an international reputation. If an internationally respected political scientist like Paul Chambers can be arrested, graduate students and precariously employed academics will think twice about engaging in controversial topics. Obviously, such a climate of fear is disastrous to the work of intellectuals, journalists, and professors."

Click to read the full interview! 

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Stand up for Dr. Paul Chambers! Support the petition demanding the charges be dropped immediately! https://www.change.org/p/free-dr-paul-chambers