Thailand has banned an academic textbook on the country, citing national security concerns.
The editor of the textbook has claimed that the ban is linked to chapters examining the monarchy and its role in Thai politics.
The second edition of the Routledge Handbook of Contemporary Thailand, published in English in August, was edited by Pavin Chachavalpongpun, a Thai academic and outspoken critic of the monarchy who is based in Japan.
The revised edition includes discussions of the monarchy in the 21st century and the authorities’ use of Section 112 of Thailand’s Criminal Code, commonly known as the lese majeste law.
The book’s first edition, published in 2019, was not prohibited.
Mr Pavin told AFP that the latest edition was updated to “reflect changes in Thai politics” following the youth-led pro-democracy demonstrations of 2020, during which protesters made unprecedented demands for reforms to the monarchy and military.
An order signed by National Police Chief Samran Nualma and issued on Wednesday said the publication contained articles that “adversely affect national security and might cause unrest in the country”.
The order also stated that its contents “affect the security of the kingdom, public order or the good morals of the people”, authorising police to confiscate and destroy copies of the book.
Importing or distributing the publication could result in a prison sentence of up to three years, a fine of 60,000 baht or both.
Mr Pavin has said that the subjects covered in the revised edition were the reason for the ban, as the textbook is “packed with material on the monarchy”.
“Topics like this are why they decided to ban it,” he was quoted as saying by CNA. “Thailand’s democracy is backsliding, and book bans are a clear indicator of that.”
In a Facebook post, Mr Pavin thanked the Royal Thai Police for drawing attention to the book, suggesting that the restrictions could have the opposite of their intended effect.
“In the era of social media and the internet, a ban like this doesn’t work,” he wrote. “People might just skip the hard copy and get an ebook.”
In a separate post, he added that “after the ban, the publisher gets money, I get money, Thai people are more aware. It’s a win-win all around”.
This is not the first time authorities have prohibited a publication by Mr Pavin. In 2023, his book Rama X: The Thai Monarchy under King Vajiralongkorn, published by Yale University Southeast Asia Studies, was banned under a similar order.
A police statement at the time said the book’s cover and contents reflected “the attitude of the author, deemed insulting to the Thai monarchy, and threatened the peace and good morality of the people”.
Mr Pavin, 55, previously worked for Thailand’s ministry of foreign affairs for 16 years before pursuing an academic career.
He has lived in exile in Kyoto since the 2014 military coup, after refusing to comply with a summons issued by the junta. His passport was subsequently revoked and an arrest warrant issued, according to The Bangkok Post.
He has also faced legal action over his involvement in the Facebook group Royalist Marketplace, known in Thai as Talad Luang, which discusses the monarchy and proposals for political reform.
Thai Lawyers for Human Rights said in August this year that he was among three people facing lese majeste charges linked to posts in the group.
Thailand’s lese majeste legislation protects the royal family from insults, defamation or threats. Those convicted can receive prison sentences ranging from three to 15 years for each offence.
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