Thailand's Justice Minister Pirapan Salirathavibhaga said on 19
January that websites containing information considered as lese
majeste are increasing, media reports said.
The "Bangkok Post" quoted Pirapan as saying that more than 10,000
such websites have contents that allegedly insult the Thai royal
family.
Lese majeste is a criminal offense in Thailand.
This development came on the heels of the recent blocking of
websites said to have defamatory remarks against Thailand's
revered monarch and members of his family.
Early this month, Information and Communication (ICT) Minister
Ranongruk Suwanchawee said the government has blocked 2,300
websites for allegedly insulting the country's monarchy, with 400
more awaiting a court order to restrict them.
Meanwhile, a Thai court sentenced an Australian author on January
19 to three years' imprisonment for insulting a member of the royal
family.
"Verisimilitude", a novel written by Harry Nicolaides, allegedly
made critical remarks against Thailand's crown prince. Nicolaides
was arrested in August last year.
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