Australian gets three years for Thai royal insult

By Ed Cropley

BANGKOK (Reuters) - A Thai court sentenced an Australian writer to three years in jail on Monday for defaming the crown prince, the latest in a slew of lese-majeste cases that rights groups say are stifling freedom of speech.

Harry Nicolaides, who appeared in court in leg-irons and wearing brown prison overalls, remained impassive as he heard his sentence, which stemmed from his 2005 novel 'Verisimilitude', only seven copies of which were ever sold.

"I wish my family the best," the 41-year-old Greek-Australian said as he was led from the court to begin his jail time.

The judge said Nicolaides' confession had led his sentence to be cut from six to three years, the minimum term allowed for the offence under Thailand's penal code.

Earlier, Nicolaides told reporters he still did not know who had filed the police complaint about the novel, which was billed on one Thai website as an "uncompromising assault on the patrician values of the monarchy".

"This is an Alice in Wonderland experience. I really believe that I am going to wake up and all of you will be gone," he said.

Lese-majeste, or insulting the monarchy, is a very serious offence in Thailand, where many people regard 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej as semi-divine. It is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.

Critics of the law say it is open to abuse since a complaint can be filed by anybody against anybody, no matter how minor the alleged disrespect.