As the film industry was celebrating its most prestigious day in Hollywood, two actors in Thailand were being jailed. <br /> <br />Pornthip Munkong and Patiwat Saraiyaem were both sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for their roles in a play deemed to have defamed Thailand's monarchy. <br /> <br />The play called "Wolf Bride" was about a fictional king and his advisor. <br /> <br />It was performed at Bangkok's Thammasat University in October 2013 to mark the anniversary of a 1973 anti-dictatorship uprising. <br /> <br />Pornthip, a student activist, and Patiwat, a fourth-year student, both pleaded guilty to the offence which can carry a sentence of up to 15 years. <br /> <br />Thailand has some of the most draconian laws in the world for the offence of insulting the king, the queen, the crown prince and the regent. <br /> <br />The offence is known as lese majeste. <br /> <br />Supporters of the law say it is necessary to protect the institution of monarchy as it is one of the pillars of Thai society. <br /> <br />Opponents say it is frequently used as a blunt instrument to silence political opponents. <br /> <br />The military-installed government that seized power from an elected administration in last May's coup has made defending the monarchy a priority in an effort to ensure stability towards the end of 87-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej's reign.
