FACTBOX: Lese-majeste cases in Thailand

(Reuters) - A Thai court on Friday sentenced a political campaigner to 18 years in prison for insulting the monarchy, a serious offence in a country where the royal institution is revered and officially above politics.

The trial of Darunee Charnchoengsilpakul, a supporter of ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, was the latest in a slew of lese-majeste cases critics say are stifling dissent and freedom of speech.

Following are details of some of those who have recently fallen foul of the law, which carries harsh prison sentences for insults or threats to the deeply revered monarchy.

DARUNEE CHARNCHOENGSILPAKUL - More commonly known as "Da Torpedo," she delivered an exceptionally strong speech last year criticizing the 2006 coup and the monarchy. Her trial on lese majeste charges was closed for reasons of national security.

JAKRAPOB PENKAIR - A spokesman for ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Jakrapob had to resign as a minister in the pro-Thaksin government in May 2008 after being accused of slandering the king in a talk at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand (FCCT) in 2007. Prosecutors are yet to decide whether to press charges against Jakrapob, whose whereabouts are unknown. He is also accused of inciting violence during anti-government protests in April.

FOREIGN CORRESPONDENTS' CLUB OF THAILAND BOARD OF DIRECTORS - Police are weighing up whether to investigate the 13-member FCCT board, which includes journalists from the BBC, Bloomberg and Wall Street Journal, after receiving a complaint from a staunch critic of Thaksin in July. Freelance translator Laksana Kornsil said the FCCT's sale of a DVD containing Jakrapob's disputed speech was an attempt to undermine the monarchy.

GILES UNGPAKORN - A leading leftist commentator and respected academic at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University, Giles fled Thailand in February 2009 after being charged with lese majeste for a book criticizing the 2006 coup. Giles fled to London, claiming he would not receive a fair trial and accusing the military and current government of using lese-majeste laws to silence dissent. A Thai court issued an arrest warrant for him in March.

SUWICHA THAKHOR - Suwicha was jailed for 10 years in April 2009 for posting comments on the Internet that were deemed insulting to the monarchy. His sentence was reduced from 20 years after he pleaded guilty. His arrest in January came during a government crackdown on thousands of Web pages considered critical or disrespectful of the palace.

HARRY NICOLAIDES - An Australian author, English teacher and long-time resident of Thailand, Nicolaides was sentenced in January 2009 to three years in jail for defaming the crown prince in his 2005 novel 'Verisimilitude'. Only seven copies of the book were sold. He received a royal pardon in February.

SULAK SIVARAKSA - A leading academic and long-time critic of the lese-majeste law, Sulak was taken from his Bangkok home late one night in November 2008 and driven 450 km (280 miles) to a police station in the northeast province of Khon Kaen. There he was charged with insulting the monarchy in a university lecture he gave in December the previous year.

CHOTISAK ONSOONG - The young political activist was accused by police in April 2008 of insulting the monarchy for refusing to stand during the royal anthem that precedes all movie screenings in Thailand. Prosecutors are still considering charges against him.

JITRA KOTCHADEJ - A union activist and friend of Chotisak, Jitra was fired by bosses at her clothing factory in August 2008 for appearing on a TV panel discussion wearing a T-shirt saying "Not standing is not a crime," a reference to Chotisak.

OLIVER JUFER - The Swiss national was sentenced to 10 years in prison in 2007 for spraying black paint on huge public portraits of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. He was pardoned and deported after serving four months.

(Compiled by Kittipong Soonprasert and Darren Schuettler; Editing by Jason Szep and Sanjeev Miglani)