BANGKOK , Thailand ( CNN ) -- An Australian author was sentenced Monday to three years in prison in Thailand after falling foul of a Thai law that makes it a crime to insult the country 's royal family . Harry Nicolaides behind the bars of a Thai holding cell on Monday . Harry Nicolaides was arrested last August over a 2005 book called `` Verisimilitude , '' which includes a paragraph about the king and crown prince that the authorities deemed a violation of the Lese Majeste law . Nicolaides , 41 , was bombarded with questions from foreign journalists as he arrived at the court Monday , wearing shackles as he stepped from a prison bus . In tears , he said he would plead guilty . `` Truth is stranger than fiction , '' he said . `` It 's been an ordeal for months . It feels like a bad dream . '' Watch shackled Nicolaides at court » . The Thai Criminal Court originally sentenced Nicolaides to six years in jail but cut the punishment in half because of the guilty plea . He listened calmly as the verdict was translated to him . After hearing his verdict Nicolaides said : `` I wish my family the best . '' Watch Nicolaides ' brother 's reaction » . One of his lawyers said no decision had been made about whether to appeal or seek a royal pardon . King Bhumibol Adulydej has pardoned foreigners in other similar cases in the past . CNN has chosen not to repeat the allegations made by Nicolaides because it could result in CNN staff being prosecuted in Thailand . Nicolaides had been living in Thailand since 2003 , lecturing at two universities about tourism . He was about to leave Thailand when he was arrested on August 31 last year . It is not clear why the authorities waited three years after the publication of his book to bring charges against him . `` I think there are individuals who have exploited an obscure law for their own self-interest , '' he said . Only 50 copies of the book were published , and only seven were sold . The law Nicolaides was convicted of breaking is section 112 , known as the Lese Majeste law . It says : `` Whoever defames , insults or threatens the King , the Queen , the Heir-apparent or the Regent , shall be punished with imprisonment of three to fifteen years . '' Thailand 's king is highly revered in this Buddhist nation , but even he has said in the past that he can be criticized . Thailand 's new prime minister , Abhisit Vejjajiva , also told CNN he is concerned about the misuse of the Lese Majeste law . `` There are cases in the past where this law has been abused for political purposes , and I agree this has to stop , '' he said . Despite the rhetoric there 's little sign the prime minister will change the law . Other cases are pending against both foreigners and Thais . CNN 's Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn in Bangkok contributed to this report .
Australian author jailed for insulting Thai king in a book . Harry Nicolaides jailed for three years ; cut from six for his guilty plea . Comment: Defense lawyers deciding whether to appeal or ask for a royal pardon .