An Australian writer jailed for insulting the Thai royal family was expected to arrive home today after being pardoned by the king and freed from jail, officials said.
Harry Nicolaides, 41, was last month sentenced to three years in jail by a Bangkok court after pleading guilty to lese majeste, or slandering the monarchy.
Australia had lobbied intensely for a royal pardon, and Thai officials said Nicolaides was released yesterday evening.
"He was released from prison yesterday evening after the royal pardon was approved," Nathee Chitsawang, director general of Thailand's Corrections Department, said.
A spokesman from Australia's foreign affairs department said diplomats in Bangkok and Canberra were working with Nicolaides' family on arrangements for the writer's return home.
"We appreciate the expeditious handling of the pardon by Thai authorities," the spokesman said.
"The Australian government and the Thai government have been working together very closely on the resolution of Harry's case," said Nicolaides' lawyer, Mark Dean.
Nicolaides' brother Forde Nicolaides said the family was "ecstatic" at the outcome, and expected the writer to arrive in Australia this afternoon.
*AFP
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
Europe’s rearming plan
- Suspend strict budget rules to allow member countries to step up defence spending
- Create new "instrument" providing €150 billion of loans to member countries for defence investment
- Use the existing EU budget to direct more funds towards defence-related investment
- Engage the bloc's European Investment Bank to drop limits on lending to defence firms
- Create a savings and investments union to help companies access capital
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
Five ways to get fit like Craig David (we tried for seven but ran out of time)
Start the week as you mean to go on. So get your training on strong on a Monday.
Train hard, but don’t take it all so seriously that it gets to the point where you’re not having fun and enjoying your friends and your family and going out for nice meals and doing that stuff.
Think about what you’re training or eating a certain way for — don’t, for example, get a six-pack to impress somebody else or lose weight to conform to society’s norms. It’s all nonsense.
Get your priorities right.
And last but not least, you should always, always chill on Sundays.
On racial profiling at airports
COMPANY PROFILE
Initial investment: Undisclosed
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Core42
Current number of staff: 47
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
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The specs
Engine: Four electric motors, one at each wheel
Power: 579hp
Torque: 859Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh825,900
On sale: Now