Swiss Man Faces Prison For Insulting Thai King

A Swiss man faces up to 75 years in prison after pleading guilty Monday to charges of insulting Thailand's king, a serious offence in a nation where the monarch is revered.

Oliver Jufer, 57, was arrested on December 5 for defacing several of the king's ubiquitous portraits with spray paint during a drunken spree through the northern city of Chiang Mai, 700 kilometres (400 miles) north of Bangkok.

He was charged with five counts of lèse-majesté
-- the crime of offending the dignity of a sovereign -- as well as lesser charges of destruction of public property.

If convicted he faces up to 75 years in prison, according to police, 15 for each of the counts of lèse-majesté

"He pleaded guilty, and the court set a date for the verdict on March 29," one court official said.

Court officials and police provided few details of the three-hour hearing held behind closed doors, citing sensitivities surrounding the monarchy.

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