BANGKOK, April 5 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has blocked the popular video-sharing website YouTube indefinitely until a video clip considered insulting to the highly-revered Thai King is removed from the website.

    The ICT minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom was quoted by the state media Thai News Agency as saying on Thursday that the ministry ordered state-owned CAT Telecom to block the website (www.youtube.com) after its owner, Google Inc, failed to remove the clip as requested by Thai authorities.

    "The authorities told them (Google) that the Thai public is offended by the clip, but they said the clip was not considered a big deal and they took no action," Sitthichai said.

    As Internet users outside the country can still view the clip, said Sitthichai, the ICT ministry would coordinate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to urgently conduct talks to seek Google's cooperation in removing the offending images as fast as possible.

    All Internet provider services in Thailand were instructed to strictly block the website, said the ICT Minister, who also warned people who downloaded and saved the file in question in their computers to delete it immediately as distributing the clip was against the law.

    The King of Thailand Bhumibol Adulyadej, who turns 80 this December and has be in reign for 60 years, enjoys high moral authority among Thais. Criticizing or offending the royalty is a serious crime in Thailand, with up to 15-year jail term for those convicted of lese majeste.