A Swiss man was convicted in Thailand today on charges of lese majeste and damaging property for defacing images of revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
Oliver Rudolf Jufer (57) could face up to 75 years in jail.
Oliver Jufer arrives at a Chiang Mai court this morning
He reversed his earlier plea and pleaded guilty to five acts of lese majeste at a hearing held behind closed doors to minimise the disrespect to King Bhumibol (79), whom many Thais regard as semi-divine.
Sentencing was set for March 29th.
Jufer was arrested in December in the northern city of Chiang Mai after black paint was sprayed on several portraits of the king, the world's longest reigning monarch who marked 60 years on the throne last June.
Police reports said Jufer was drunk when the portraits were defaced.
Lese majeste carries a penalty of three to 15 years in jail in Thailand, one of the few countries that prosecutes strictly anything deemed to demean the royal family.
Jufer's guilty plea could help reduce the sentence, but he would almost certainly spend time in jail, his lawyer said.
The case has received almost no coverage in the Thai press, and today's hearing was covered mainly by reporters from foreign newspapers and news agencies, who were barred from the hearing.
For most Thais, only the most delicate portrayal of the royal family is acceptable, and foreigners are expected to show similar respect.