BANGKOK - A prominent Thai political activist accused of insulting the monarchy was jailed for 11 years Wednesday in the latest tough sentence under the kingdom's controversial lese majeste law.

The Criminal Court in Bangkok convicted former magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk in connection with two articles deemed offensive to the royal family.

"We accept the ruling but we will appeal," his lawyer Karom Polpornklang said after the verdict.

"I can confirm that he did not intend to violate article 112," he said, referring to the lese majeste legislation. "He was doing his job as a journalist. We will seek bail for him."

Rights campaigners denounced the conviction of Somyot, who was brought to court in shackles having been held for more than a year without bail.

"The courts seem to have adopted the role of chief protector of the monarchy at the expense of free expression rights," said Brad Adams, Asia director at New York-based Human Rights Watch.

"The court's ruling appears to be more about Somyot's strong support for amending the lese majeste law than about any harm incurred by the monarchy."

Somyot, who was arrested in April 2011, is a supporter of the "Red Shirt" protest group, which is broadly loyal to ousted former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

The royal family is a highly sensitive subject in politically turbulent Thailand. King Bhumibol Adulyadej, 85, is revered by many Thais but has been in hospital since September 2009.

Rights campaigners say that the lese majeste law has been politicised, noting that many of those charged are linked to the Red Shirt movement.

Under the legislation, anyone convicted of insulting the Thai king, queen, heir or regent faces up to 15 years in prison on each count.

Thailand has been riven by political divisions since Thaksin was topped by royalist generals in a coup in 2006.

Two months of mass street protests by the Red Shirts against the previous government in early 2010 triggered the kingdom's worst civil violence in decades with 90 people killed, mostly in a bloody military crackdown.

Many Red Shirts seek the return of Thaksin, a former telecoms tycoon who lives overseas to avoid a prison sentence for corruption that he contends is politically motivated. - AFP

• IHH Healthcare earnings up 3.6% to RM127.27m
• Petronas Dagangan Q1 earnings down 3.7% to RM237m
• Japan's tumble drags key regional, European markets lower (Update)
• KUB in JV with Singapore's Hiap Seng for Petronas project
• TDM to plant 5,000ha of new trees every year in Kalimantan
• KLCI falls to low of 1,765, rattled by Japan, HK
• Japan stocks crash on volatile bonds, weak China data; Nikkei ends down 7.3%
• MISC posts RM300m net profit in Q1, sees challenging year ahead (Update)
• KL Kepong slips to low of RM21.36 as quarterly profit drops
• Maybank's Q1 earnings up 11.8% to RM1.506b (Update)
• Lafarge Cement positive on markets, mulls expanding capacity
• Dayang Enterprise awards RM705m contract to Perdana Petroleum
• KLCI pauses, Japan, Hong Kong key indices slide (Update)
• ECM Libra plans to exit PN17 by year-end
• China HSBC flash PMI hits 7-mth low, fans growth fears

• Ranger, militant killed in Thai south shootout
• Japan man, 80, scales Everest, sets record
• Philippines vows to defend territory against China
• S. Korean girl killed by suicide jumper
• Ecuador warns satellite could hit rocket remains
• Short-story writer Davis wins Booker International Prize
• Two babies among US tornado victims
• Anti-Islamist protests flare following London attack
• 'British solider' butchered in suspected Islamist attack (Updated)

• Rugby: Former All Black coach Henry on misconduct charge
• Ice queen Nicol into British Open quarters
• Australia to consider following ban on anchor putters
• Intxausti wins 16th stage, Nibali still keeps pink jersey
• Indonesia drawn to meet China again – in knockout stage
• Results worldwide
• Malacca sprinter Mohd Azam Masri out to create history by winning five events in MSSM meet
• Athletics runs in the veins of Vallabouy family
• Chinese long jumper Jinzhe claims another Olympic scalp
• Dane Jorgensen’s wish is to avoid Chinese ace Lin Dan in World Championships
• National badminton team’s lack of depth a glaring factor in home tourney
• Khim Wah-V Shem perform above expectations in Sudirman Cup debut
• Jindapon aims to qualify for 2016 Olympics
• Kenichi’s goal is to take Japan into Sudirman Cup semi-finals
• Dong-keun shows he’s a capable replacement

• Please wait.

• Actress’ barking pet saves her from attacker in late night incident
• Colleges challenge new conditions set by registrar
• Transport Ministry reveals new FT registration plate to start with W1A
• Tian Chua, Haris Ibrahim, Tamrin Ghafar to spend the night in lockup (Update)
• What comes after WYY?
• In China, food scares put Mao's self-sufficiency goal at risk
• Verdict ends three years of restlessness for family, says Sosilawati's daughter
• All four accused guilty in murder of Sosilawati Lawiya and three others (Update)
• Chromebook to help rural pupils leapfrog into parity with urban peers
• Astro and Maxis to deliver new-age TV service in Klang Valley