Thailand Authorities Ban Academic Textbook Over Monarchy and Security Concerns

POLICY WIRE — Bangkok, Thailand — Thai officials have issued a ban on a prominent academic textbook, asserting that the publication poses a threat to national security.

The decision targets the second edition of the Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Thailand, a work that includes detailed analysis of the monarchy’s influence and the government’s application of lese majeste laws.

The book, released in English this past August, was edited by Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Japan-based Thai academic who is known as a vocal critic of the royal institution.

While the 2019 first edition of the handbook remained permitted, the updated version features chapters on 21st-century monarchy dynamics and the use of Section 112 of the Criminal Code.

Pavin told the AFP that the new revisions were intended to capture political shifts following the 2020 youth-led protests, which called for significant reforms to the military and the crown.

An official order signed by National Police Chief Samran Nualma on Wednesday claimed that the text contains material that could destabilize the country and damage national security.

The directive further authorized law enforcement to seize and destroy copies of the book, stating the content impacts public order, the kingdom’s security, and morality.

Individuals caught importing or distributing the banned material could face up to three years in prison, a fine of 60,000 baht, or both penalties.

The editor argued that the ban stems specifically from the book’s heavy focus on the monarchy, characterizing the move as a sign of democratic backsliding in the nation.

In a social media post, Pavin suggested that the ban might backfire in the digital age, noting that readers could simply pivot to electronic versions instead of physical copies.

He claimed the restriction would actually benefit the publisher and himself by increasing interest, while also raising public awareness of the subject matter.

This is not the first time the Pavin has faced such measures; in 2023, his Yale-published book regarding King Vajiralongkorn was banned on similar grounds of being insulting to the royal family.

The 55-year-old former diplomat spent 16 years in the ministry of foreign affairs before moving into exile in Kyoto after the 2014 military coup and refusing a junta summons.

Since his departure, he has faced an arrest warrant, a revoked passport, and legal challenges regarding his participation in a Facebook group discussing political reform.

Under Thailand’s lese majeste laws, those found guilty of insulting or threatening the royalty face sentences ranging from three to 15 years per count.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)em>