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.