An American faces years in jail for allegedly insulting Thailand’s monarchy

An American lecturer in Thailand has been arrested on charges of offending the country’s monarchy. Paul Chambers, who teaches political science at Thailand’s Naresuan University, was detained earlier this month before being charged. The U.S. State Department is now involved, as the teacher potentially faces years behind bars.

Thailand’s laws, which criminalize any criticism of Thailand’s monarchy, are rarely applied against foreigners but often come with harsh prison terms. Last year, a Thai man had his sentence extended to 50 years for violating the laws. Chambers does not face 50 years, but State Department officials are concerned that he could still be locked up for a long period.