BANGKOK - THAI police have summoned an outspoken academic for questioning for allegedly insulting the deeply-revered royal family, the accused professor said on Monday.

Prof Giles Ji Ungpakorn, a political science professor at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University and member of a prominent Thai family, said he would present himself to authorities after a police officer filed a complaint about him.

Thailand has some of the strictest 'lese majeste' laws in the world protecting the monarchy and police have to investigate any complaints, although media watchdogs have said the law is being used to muzzle political debate.

'Professor Ungpakorn is prepared to fight any (lese majeste) charges in order to defend academic freedom, the freedom of expression and democracy in Thailand,' Prof Giles said in a statement.

Anyone found guilty of insulting 81-year-old King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his family faces a maximum jail term of 15 years.

Prof Giles wrote a book - 'A Coup for the Rich' - criticising a 2006 military putsch that ousted then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and has frequently commented on the sensitive matter of the royal family's role in politics.

The issue has been particularly prominent in recent months after a protest group claiming loyalty to the monarchy stormed and occupied Bangkok's two main airports for a week in late November, crippling transit and tourism.

The government revealed earlier this month that it had blocked 2,300 websites for allegedly insulting the royals and was setting up a 24-hour 'war room' to monitor the Internet for further violations. -- AFP