Brickbat: Come at the King

Paul Chambers, an American academic, faces up to 15 years in prison for insulting Thailand’s monarchy under the country’s strict lèse-majesté laws. Chambers was detained and charged under Section 112 of the Thai criminal code and the Computer Crimes Act after a complaint from the Thai army. The complaint stemmed from Chambers’ participation in a webinar—”Thailand’s 2024 Military and Police Reshuffles: What Do They Mean?”—sponsored by a think tank based in Singapore. Authorities say an invitation to the webinar falsely claimed the king of Thailand has the authority to restructure the military or change its leadership; his attorneys say Chambers did not write the description, which has since been changed. Chambers was originally denied bail; an appeals court later reversed that decision, though his visa was revoked.