American Faces 15 yrs. in Prison for Insulting King of Thailand

Thai authorities said Friday they arrested an American citizen on charges he insulted the country's monarchy, in part by posting a link on his blog four years ago to a banned book about the Southeast Asian nation's ailing king.

The 54-year-old Thai-born man lived in the U.S. state of Colorado for around 30 years before returning recently to Thailand for treatment for high blood pressure and gout, the website said. If the allegations are true, the infractions would have been committed while he lived in America — where they are legal — raising concern about the reach of Thai law and how it is applied to Thai nationals and foreign visitors.

Link to full story: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20110527/ap_on_re_as/as_thailand_monarchy

 

When you are in Rome do what the Romans do. The Thai revere their kings so if some uncouth, crude, uncultured American decides to insult their king i think he deserves the punishment

 

As the saying goes, "while in Rome", but he wasn't in Rome, he was in the U.S. at the time it's alleged he made posted "insults". I don't think that anyone would expect to be put in prison for something they said while they lived in a different country?

 

I love how you said he is "american". I'm not saying he isn't but there is a difference between a born american and a guy whose home country is charging him with a crime. He was born there and probably knew the rules.