The creator of a 44 second skit on Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, which yesterday prompted Thailand to block YouTube, has voluntarily removed the video, Reuters reports.

The offending vid outraged Thai Buddhists principally because of "the juxtaposition of a pair of woman's feet, the lowest part of the body, above his [Adulyadej's] head, the highest part of the body".

Thailand asked Google to remove the video, but it declined. Accordingly, Thai communications minister Sitthichai Pookaiyaudom told Reuters "he had ordered a block of the entire site from Thailand after the ministry's attempts to get the offending page removed last week failed".

Although the film is no more, Sitthichai said the administration would "continue to block YouTube as two images deemed offensive remained".

Sitthichai bemoaned: "We have told them [Google] how deeply offended Thais were by the clip, but they said there was much worse ridicule of President Bush on the site and they kept that there. I don't think they really care how we feel. Thailand is only a tiny market for them."

YouTube told Reuters it was "looking into the matter". It said in an email statement: "YouTube reaches a wide global audience and strives to provide a community where people from around the world can express themselves by sharing videos in a safe and lawful manner." ®

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