KUALA LUMPUR — Australian-born political commentator Murray Hunter, known for his sharp critiques of Malaysian politics, was detained by Thai authorities this morning on allegations of posting defamatory material online.
Hunter, who resides in Thailand and previously lived in Malaysia, said he was taken into custody at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok at about 7:30am while preparing to board a flight to Hong Kong.
“I was shocked by what happened. I have not done anything wrong in Thailand,” he was quoted as saying by Free Malaysia Today.
A Thai immigration officer confirmed his arrest, saying it was carried out under a warrant issued by the Bangkok southern criminal court. Details of the allegations against him have not yet been made public.
Hunter is expected to be transferred to the Yannawa Police Station in Bangkok, where investigators handling the case will take over and prepare documents for court proceedings.
Hunter, a long-time resident of Malaysia and Thailand, is widely known for his writings on Malaysian politics.
He previously served as a lecturer at Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP) but his employment there was terminated in August 2015.
Thai authorities have not released further information about the alleged defamatory posts. It remains unclear whether the charges are linked to his political writings or other content. — September 29, 2025