Paul Chambers, formerly a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Science at Naresuan University in Phitsanuloke, has formally appealed two administrative orders that ended his employment. The appeal follows a legal controversy stemming from a lèse majesté charge filed by the Internal Security Operations Command, Third Army Region, over an article published on the ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute website in Singapore.
The charge was later dropped by the Region 6 prosecutors’ office, reportedly to avoid disrupting ongoing tariff negotiations between Thailand and the United States. However, the dropped charge had already led to the cancellation of Chambers’ visa by Thai immigration authorities, triggering a chain of events that culminated in his termination.
Chambers, represented by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, argues that the university did not follow proper procedures, as he was not given the opportunity to defend himself and no investigative committee was formed. He maintains that his dismissal contradicts Naresuan University’s internal regulations, which stipulate that termination must be based on proof of disciplinary misconduct or lack of qualifications—neither of which, he claims, applies in his case.
The termination orders were signed by the vice rector for administration, acting in place of the university rector. Chambers is currently in the process of appealing the visa cancellation as part of his broader effort to contest what he describes as an unjust dismissal.
