Definition: In this task, you will be presented with a passage and have to answer a question based on your understanding of the events inferred from the passage. Try to find the best answer that is most likely to fill in "_". Note that the URLs in the text have been replaced with [Link].
Input: Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- A Thai criminal court has sentenced a Thai-born American to 2 1/2 years in prison for insulting the monarchy, the latest case involving controversial laws for defaming, insulting or threatening the royal family. Joe W. Gordon, whose Thai name is Lerpong Wichaicommart, cooperated during the investigation of his case and pleaded guilty, resulting in a lenient sentence, his lawyer said. But the charge of writing and posting articles insulting the monarchy under the Southeast Asian country's lese majeste laws can yield a sentence as high as 20 years in prison in the Buddhist country, where the king is highly revered.NEW: State Department spokesman says U.S. "troubled" by case outcomeGordon was arrested in May for posting a link on his blog to a banned bookGordon's guilty plea leads to his lenient sentence, his lawyer saysThe king has pardoned foreigners in similar cases in the past 
 Question:Speaking to reporters after the verdict, Gordon said he was "an American, not a _ citizen."

Thailand