# Thailand: magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk is sentenced to 11 years under the lese-majeste law

Published 2026-09-23. Last reviewed 2026-09-22. 3 sources.

Status: historical, as of 2026-09-22.

What we don't know: The source reviewed does not report what happened to Jakrapob Penkair, the article's identified author, who remained in exile.

A Thai court sentenced magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk to 11 years in prison under Article 112 of the penal code, the country's lese-majeste law barring insults to the royal family, over two articles he published under a pen name.[1][2][3][4]

- Country: [Thailand](https://thewaronnews.com/countries/th)
- Where: TH
- Level of government: National
- Tactic: Insult and defamation laws
- Stage: Eliminate (ladder: https://thewaronnews.com/ladders/insult_and_defamation_laws#stage-eliminate)
- Ladder note: An editor received an 11-year sentence under a royal insult law for articles written by someone else, and served the sentence in full before release.
- Head of government at the time: [Yingluck Shinawatra](https://thewaronnews.com/leaders/yingluck-shinawatra)
- Issue of the day: The two articles that led to the charge, published in Voice of Taksin magazine in February and March 2010, were written under a pseudonym by a former government spokesman living in exile, whom Somyot identified only after his own prosecution began.
- Outcome: Upheld by a court, 30 April 2018. Somyot's conviction and sentence were not overturned; he served his full 11-year term and was released on completing it in April 2018.
- Era: The 2010s

## What happened

On January 24, 2013, a Thai court sentenced magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk to 11 years in prison under Article 112 of Thailand's penal code, the country's lese-majeste law, which bars insults to the royal family and under which any Thai person may file a complaint even though royal family members themselves have never personally done so. The charge concerned two articles published in February and March 2010 in Voice of Taksin magazine under the pen name "Jit Polachan." Somyot later identified the true author as Jakrapob Penkair, a former government spokesman then living in exile in Cambodia. During his trial testimony, Somyot argued the articles referred to a broad aristocratic elite rather than the king specifically. CPJ's Asia program coordinator at the time, Bob Dietz, called the sentence the latest abuse of the lese-majeste law to suppress free expression in Thailand. Somyot completed his sentence in full and was released on April 30, 2018, telling reporters the country's military government had led Thailand backward and that he was disappointed democracy had not been restored.[1][2][3][4]

Somyot served his full sentence and was released on April 30, 2018.[4]

## What reason was given

The prosecution was brought under Article 112 of the penal code, Thailand's lese-majeste law, over the two 2010 magazine articles.[1][2][3][4]

## What changed for reporting

A magazine editor received an 11-year sentence as the person responsible for publication, rather than the pseudonymous author, of two articles a court found insulted the monarchy.[1][2][3][4]

## Timeline

- 2013-01-24: Thailand: magazine editor Somyot Prueksakasemsuk is sentenced to 11 years under the lese-majeste law

## Who acted

| Name | Role in this incident | Office at the time |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Yingluck Shinawatra](https://thewaronnews.com/actors/yingluck-shinawatra) | other | Prime Minister of Thailand |

## Outlets and journalists

| Name | Kind | Relation |
| --- | --- | --- |
| [Voice of Taksin magazine](https://thewaronnews.com/outlets/oy-magazine) | outlet | affected |
| [Jakrapob Penkair](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/jakrapob-penkair) | journalist, Voice of Taksin magazine | affected |
| [Somyot Prueksakasemsuk](https://thewaronnews.com/journalists/somyot-prueksakasemsuk) | journalist, Voice of Taksin magazine | affected |

## Sources

1. Thai editor Somyot sentenced to 11 years in prison. https://cpj.org/2013/01/thai-editor-somyot-sentenced-to-11-years-in-prison/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2013-01-24).
2. Thai magazine editor freed after seven years in prison. https://cpj.org/2018/05/thai-magazine-editor-freed-after-seven-years-in-pr/ (Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-05-01).
3. Thai magazine's former editor jailed for insulting king. https://www.reuters.com/article/business/corrected-update-1-thai-magazines-former-editor-jailed-for-insulting-king-idUSL4N0AS2P7/ (Reuters, 2013-01-23).

## Claims cited

[1] The court sentenced Somyot to 11 years in prison over the two 2010 magazine articles. Quote: "11 years in prison" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2013-01-24. Thai editor Somyot sentenced to 11 years in prison. https://cpj.org/2013/01/thai-editor-somyot-sentenced-to-11-years-in-prison/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/605, checked 2026-09-22.

[2] The charge concerned two articles published under the pen name Jit Polachan in Voice of Taksin magazine. Quote: "Two articles written under the penname "Jit Polachan" and published in Voice of Taksin magazine in February and March 2010." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2013-01-24. Thai editor Somyot sentenced to 11 years in prison. https://cpj.org/2013/01/thai-editor-somyot-sentenced-to-11-years-in-prison/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/606, checked 2026-09-22.

[3] Somyot testified that the articles referred to a broad aristocratic elite rather than the king. Quote: "the articles did not refer to the king, but instead to a broad aristocratic elite" Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2013-01-24. Thai editor Somyot sentenced to 11 years in prison. https://cpj.org/2013/01/thai-editor-somyot-sentenced-to-11-years-in-prison/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/607, checked 2026-09-22.

[4] Somyot was released on April 30, 2018, after serving his sentence in full. Quote: "Somyot completed his full sentence, so no conditions were placed on his release." Source: Committee to Protect Journalists, 2018-05-01. Thai magazine editor freed after seven years in prison. https://cpj.org/2018/05/thai-magazine-editor-freed-after-seven-years-in-pr/ Claim: https://thewaronnews.com/claims/608, checked 2026-09-22.

Source page: https://thewaronnews.com/incidents/2013-thailand-somyot-lese-majeste-sentence. The War On News, CC BY 4.0.