Student held for alleged lese majeste

A 23-year-old university graduate was detained on Friday for alleged lese majeste - offending the monarchy - in messages written on his blog, prachatai.com on-line newspaper reported yesterday.

The male student, whose name was withheld, is a recent accounting graduate from Kasetsart University.

The person who filed the charge was said to be a vice rector for students affairs, who reportedly said he was pressed to file the charge by the University Council and that the complaint was filed in a bid to protect the university's "reputation".

The man's parents will seek bail tomorrow.

The man made remarks on his blog that were allegedly offensive to the monarchy while he was a senior student at the university. These were apparently first spotted by fellow students, prachatai.com reported.

He faces charges both under the lese majeste law, which carries a maximum 15-year jail term, and the Computer Crimes Act, which has punishment of up to five years in jail.

Prachatai earlier reported that at least 11 people have been detained under the lese majeste law in Bangkok alone. However, there are no readily available figures on how many people have been charged or detained under the law.