American Scholar's Legal Battle in Thailand Ends

An American academic's lese-majeste prosecution in Thailand, which alarmed the U.S., has been dropped. Paul Chambers, 58, faced legal challenges after a charge last month, losing his job and visa. The attorney-general dismissed the case this week, concluding the matter.

A court case involving an American academic accused of royal insult in Thailand has been dropped, easing tensions between Thailand and the U.S. Paul Chambers, a 58-year-old political science lecturer, faced legal uncertainty after his arrest last month on lese-majeste charges.

The dismissal of the case, confirmed by Chambers' lawyer, Wannaphat Jenroumjit, follows an appeal by the Royal Thai Police being overruled by the attorney general. The U.S. government had expressed concerns over Thailand's lese-majeste laws, considered among the world's strictest.

Chambers, whose passport was recently seized, has now left Thailand. The charges followed a complaint by a royalist group related to an academic seminar blurb posted outside Thailand. With his legal troubles seemingly over, questions remain around the broader application of lese-majeste laws.

(With inputs from agencies.)