BANGKOK: Thai police said today they had arrested

a man for allegedly running a website

insulting the kingdom’s revered royal

family, a serious crime punishable by up

to 15 years in prison.

Thanthawut Thaweevarodomkul, a 38-year-old Thai national, was arrested on Thursday at his Bangkok home and confessed to lese majeste, or offences against the crown, as well as violating computer crime law, police said.

The man said he had been hired through email by someone overseas to operate the site “norporchorusa.com”, which attacked the Thai royal family. Although the website has the same Thai name as the “Red Shirt” supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who are seeking to topple the government, police said they had found no connection with the suspect.

Internet content seen as overtly critical of the king — who enjoys a semi-divine status among many Thais — has been under close scrutiny since Thaksin was ousted in a coup.