Thai court sentences American citizen for lese majeste

BANGKOK, December 9 (TNA) - Bangkok's Criminal Court on Thursday sentenced a Thai man holding American citizenship for a two-and-a-half-year imprisonment for defaming the revered Thai monarchy. Lerpong Vichaicomemart, alias Zin Sae Chew or Joe Gordon, was originally sentenced by the Thai court for a five-year imprisonment but his jail term was halved after he pleaded guilty. The 55-year-old car salesman from the US Colorado State was sentenced on charges of publishing online a banned biography of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej and brought the book into Thailand. The Criminal Court said Lerpong was found guilty of having, between November 2, 2007 and May 24, 2008, brought the offensive book into the Thai Kingdom, with its contents deemed insulting the royal Thai institution. After hearing the judicial sentence, the convicted said he would not appeal, but he would request for royal clemency instead. (TNA)