Thai activist sentenced to 18 years

BANGKOK, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- A political activist in Bangkok says she will fight the 18-year sentence given her for insulting Thailand's Royal Family.

Daranee Charnchoengsilpakul was convicted Friday of three counts of lese-majeste for her criticism last year of a coup that ousted then Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, The Times of London reported Saturday.

"It is what I expected to happen," Daranee said Friday. "I will appeal."

The harsh sentencing is the latest in a series of cases inhibiting freedom of speech and political dissent in Thailand, human rights activists told the Times. Government censors have increased surveillance of the Internet to charge dozens of activists and journalists with lese-majeste in recent years, CSM reported.

Daranee, 46, belongs to the Red Shirts, formally known as the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship. The Thai government has invoked its Internal Security Act to ban Red Shirt gatherings scheduled Sunday at three locations in Bangkok, CSM reported Saturday.