The Thai government says Facebook users who share material that insults the Thai monarchy could face prosecution.

Minister of Information and Communication Technology Anudith Nakornthap said Tuesday that spreading illegal content online, "either directly or indirectly," is a crime.

The crime of insulting the monarchy carries stiff penalties in Thailand. Prosecutions have spiked in recent years due to political instability.

According to Thai media, Anudith warned that anyone who clicked "like," shared or commented on an offensive Facebook post could be prosecuted.

He told The Associated Press that even "if a foreigner abroad makes a comment... if there is a lawsuit filed and that person then comes into Thailand, that person will be prosecuted."