Thai police recently entered the offices of Prachatai, a Bangkok-based website and detained Chiranuch Premchaiporn who founded the operation five years ago.

She has been charged with 'endangering national security' which in Thailand can be as trivial as poking fun at King Bhumibol. Comments about the monarchy posted on the site by visitors at the end of last year, apparently prompted the raid.

Prachatai carries content that other media outlets tend to shy away from.

The monarchy in Thailand is protected by lese-majeste laws which bans criticism of the monarchy. There have been quite a few cases of foreigners being prosecuted for monarchy references deemed to be unacceptable under lese majeste laws.

An Aussie writer named Harry Nicolaides isn't exactly a best selling author. A novel he wrote three years ago titled Verisimilitude sold just seven copies. The reason he made the news is because he included a brief passage in his novel that refers to an unnamed crown prince, and for that 'crime' was sent to jail. He has now been pardoned.

It can get amusing. A Swiss national named Oliver Jufer was sentenced to 19 years in jail for daubing black paint on a portrait on King Bhumibol. It is claimed that Jufer was drunk at the time. He received a pardon a month after his conviction.

Thailand has been becoming increasingly touchy about references to the monarchy. YouTube clips even come in for the treatment. In 2007 Thailand blocked access to YouTube because a clip allegedly insulted the monarchy.

Really this is a ridulous law if only because it's counterproductive. When you tell people they can't do something, there will be those who will want to do it with a passion.

Rarified monarchs protected by laws are a bit of an anachronism in this day and age. It certainly doesn't help if they are perceived as being part of the problem.

Lese majeste laws have come in for heavy criticism around the world. There was even a campaign by academics to have the laws changed.

In the case of Ms Premchaiporn the authorities appear to have become more devious. She has been charged under a new law which makes it an offense to carry computer content that endangers national security. This enables them to crackdown on debate about the monarchy without appearing to be stifling freedom of expression.