A U.S. citizen, originally from Thailand, has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for defaming the country's royal family. He translated sections of a banned biography about the king and posted them online while he was living in Colorado several years ago. He flew to Thailand recently in order to get treatments for arthritis and high blood pressure. There he was detained and denied bail. He eventually pled guilty in hopes of receiving a lighter sentence.The case raises questions as to the applicability of Thai laws to those residing in other countries. Also, the Thai monarchy has gained increasing criticism for it's harsh laws which prohibit defamation of the king, the queen or the heir to the throne. Opponents say that while the monarch should be protected, the laws are often used against political rivals.