Thailand's Information and Communications Technology (ICT) has dropped a criminal lawsuit it planned to file against Google Inc, the U.S.-based parent company to the YouTube website, after the company promised to remove all 12 controversial video clips considered insulting to the King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej earlier put on the website.

The ICT Minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom was quoted by the state media Thai News Agency as saying on Friday that Google's vice president Kent Walker sent a letter to the ministry Thursday, stating that his company intended to remove all the controversial clips as requested by the Thai government and that it had already removed six out of the 12 clips.

The ICT Ministry has, therefore, decided not to file the criminal lawsuit against Google but would maintain its policy to block YouTube website, he said, adding that all local internet providers would be asked to install a special program to block specific webpages deemed inappropriate.

The ministry in early April began blocking the popular video- sharing website YouTube (www.youtube.com) after it put on a sequence of video clips considered insulting to the Thai King, who is highly revered in the kingdom.

Lese majeste is considered a serious crime in Thailand. Offenders could face up to 15 years' jail term if convicted.

On legal action to be taken against the person who distributed the controversial video clip, Assistant National Police Chief Jongrak Jutanont plans to obtain more evidence from the ministry next Monday after it was found that the person was a Thai.

Sitthichai said the present interim government had only closed 20 websites with most of them concerned with threatening national security since it has come to power.

He reiterated that the government did not want to shun people's freedom to Internet access but the clips deemed insulting the King was something that Thais could not tolerate.

Source: Xinhua