112WATCH interviews Bencharat Sae Chua, Director of SEACAF: protecting academic freedom in the face of lèse-majesté law
The Southeast Asia Coalition for Academic Freedom (SEACAF) addresses regional democratic backsliding by uniting networks to defend academic freedom as a fundamental human right.
September 17, 2026
Across Southeast Asia, scholars and students face severe threats ranging from criminal prosecution and state-sponsored "red-tagging" to institutional self-censorship, market-driven university metrics, and a lack of labor union protections. In Thailand, Section 112 and strict university regulations are weaponized to prosecute and discipline researchers studying the monarchy, creating a pervasive chilling effect that limits critical inquiry. To counter these systemic issues, SEACAF documents violations, provides international advocacy and temporary protection for scholars at risk, and works to build resilient regional solidarity mechanisms.
Read the interview below –
