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AUSTRALIAN political commentator Murray Hunter has been released from Thai immigration custody after posting bail.
Having earlier spent some 48-hours in a holding cell in Bangkok, the former academic, is now seeking legal advice over charges of criminal intimidation against the Malaysian Communication and Multimedia Commission (MCMC).
In April 2024, MCMC categorically rejected all accusations made by Hunter, who accused the agency of being politically influenced by the current government administration.
The MCMC announced in a statement then that Hunter’s postings were slanderous as he openly accused the commission of acting beyond its jurisdiction for personal interests and claimed that the commission and the police were trying to scare the public.
Hunter was charged under Section 328 of the Thai Criminal Code with defamation, where four of his Substack articles were quoted as defamatory material.
Freed on bail
According to reports, critics have compared Hunter's case to that of Nuon Thoeun, a Cambodian worker.
In October last year, Cambodian authorities reportedly collaborated with the Malaysian government to arrest and deport Thoeun after she posted criticisms of Cambodia’s former long-time prime minister and current Senate president, Hun Sen, on her Facebook page.
As for Hunter, he was detained by the Thai immigration authorities at the Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok on Monday about 7.30am as he was about to leave the country to Hong Kong.
“I’m shocked at what is happening. I have not done anything wrong in Thailand,” he claimed.
Hunter later told The Vibes that he was freed on bail and awaiting what comes next in what he describes as a perplexing legal case.
" I do not think the Thai police even understand why they were arresting me and only told me that I was charged with defamation.
“They could barely pronounce the titles of my articles in English and barely spoke English and repeatedly told me that I had been arrested for defamation,” he said.
Hunter, who has since engaged legal help, said that his case showed that MCMC can detain persons anywhere in the world on ‘trivial matters’ of alleged abuse on social media postings.
"One is not spared even if he or she is living outside the country. I think that is the consequence of my detention."
Hunter has claimed he has not done anything wrong in his postings, saying that he wrote it on the premise of what any journalist does under the globally accepted practise of press freedom.
In the past, Hunter was wanted after a series of reprimands by MCMC for alleged unverified allegations on his social media postings and blogs.
After quitting his lecturing post at Universiti Malaysia Perlis, the Australian academic had lived in Haadyai, southern Thai for the past several years.
He had also taught at an institution of higher learning in Thailand and enjoys ties with both Thai and Malaysian civil societies.
He had occasionally continued to offer analysis and opinions about the state of governance in Malaysia.
MCMC also needs to clarify what role it plays
Senior lawyer S. Raveentharan, an advocate for human rights, said that the case is interesting to note in terms of legal interpretation.
If Hunter committed an offence in Malaysia, he should be repatriated from Thailand to face the latter's courts, and the Thai side need not wait on this matter.
"Why was he detained and then granted bail."
Raveentharan said that MCMC also needs to clarify what role it plays as the authority on media content.
A formal extradition treaty does exist between Thailand and Malaysia through a treaty signed by both neighbours.
The treaty does provide a framework for one country to request the surrender of a fugitive from the other to face legal proceedings or punishment.
Raveentharan said that it remains to be seen if Hunter was facing charges in Thailand or Malaysia.
Another lawyer who preferred not to be named also questioned MCMC’s actions and what authority they have to detain someone in another country. - October 1, 2025.