An Australian writer has been sentenced to three years behind bars for insulting Thailand’s royal family. 
Harry Nicolaides, 41, pleaded guilty in a Bangkok criminal courtroom Monday for writing a book, “Versimilitude”, which criticized Thailand’s widely revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn.
“He was found guilty under criminal law article 112 and the court has sentenced him to six years, but due to his confession, which is beneficial to the case, the sentence is reduced to three years,” a judge told the court.
“He has written a book that slandered the king, the crown prince and Thailand and the monarchy,” the judge added.
Article 112 refers to Thailand’s harsh “lese majeste” laws protecting the monarchy from insult, which carries a maximum sentence of 15 years.
Nicolaides already has been in a Thai jail for nearly five months after being arrested in August.
“This is an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ experience. I really believe that I am going to wake up and all of you will be gone,” Nicolaides told reporters. “I would like to apologize. This can’t be real. It feels like a bad dream. I respect the king of Thailand. I was aware there were obscure laws (about the monarchy) but I didn’t think they would apply to me.”
Even though the king himself has said he should not be above criticism, the police feel obliged to investigate every complaint that lands on their desks, fearful that dismissing an apparently trivial case might itself be deemed disrespectful.
Nicolaides was a regular, long-time visitor to Thailand and had been teaching English at a university in the northern city of Chiang Mai, writing the occasional article for regional newspapers and websites.
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