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BANGKOK - THAI authorities on Tuesday threatened to shut down 29 websites over content deemed offensive to the nation's revered king, warning that owners of the portals could face prosecution.
The latest threat came after Thailand banned the video-sharing service YouTube for five months last year, over videos that mocked Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
The ban was only lifted after YouTube, owned by Internet giant Google, agreed to filter videos related to the king from appearing to users in Thailand.
Chalerm Yoobumrung, Thailand's interior minister, said on Tuesday the websites in question would be discussed in a meeting with police.
'We will exercise whatever law we need to, because it's threatening national security and the interior ministry cannot ignore it,' he told reporters.
'I will closely monitor all these 29 websites.'
Internet content seen as overtly critical of the king - who many Thais believe is semi-divine - has been under close scrutiny since former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was toppled in a coup by army generals in 2006.
Thai Special Branch police confirmed on Tuesday they had more than 20 websites under investigation for insulting the monarchy, including the pro-Thaksin site hi-thaksin.net.
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