The Bangkok Military Court on Tuesday sentenced Niran Yaowapha, a former webmaster of ASTV Manager Online, to a suspended prison term after finding him guilty of lese majeste over the posting a false Royal Household Bureau statement about His Majesty the King's health on the news website on Feb 2.
Mr Niran was charged under Section 112 of the Criminal Code,.
He told the court he received the statement from reporters covering news at the Culture and Public Health ministries and posted as part of a routine process, unaware that it was false.
He later removed it after checking with the Royal Houshold Bureau. ASTV subsequently posted an apology and submitted a petition for a royal pardon.
The court found Mr Niran guilty as charged and initially sentenced him to five years imprisonment.
Due to his cooperation and useful testimony, the court reduced the jail term by one half to two years and six months, and suspended it for three years.