Thai police were criticised over the arrest of a teenage OnlyFans model and her boyfriend in Bangkok.

The young woman - known only by her online name of 'Kai Nao' - posted hundreds of explicit videos and photographs on the notorious adult platform.

However, footage of one of her live streams was shared on social media over the weekend and police made an arrest warrant on Monday evening.

Officers raided the couple's apartment before arresting them at a nearby hotel room where they were they had allegedly fled after being told of the warrant.

The pair apologised on Tuesday for making adult content for the London-based British site, which last month faced a backlash when it tried to ban its flagship explicit content.

Kai Nao said: 'When we posted the videos, we did not think that it would escalate like this and we would be arrested. I want to apologise to people who cannot accept what we did on the OnlyFans site.

'I didn't want to publish such images for the general public to see, especially for children under the age of 18, as we know that only adults can use the site.'

Police Major General Kantapong Chairungruang, who was among several top-ranking officers from the Royal Thai Police leading the operation, said the pair had published nude clips on OnlyFans.

The police chief said they had both been charged with 'producing, possessing or disseminating obscene material for the public to see' and face up to three years in jail along with a fine of up to 60,000 baht.

A second charge for the alleged crimes is also covered by Thailand's notoriously strict Computer Crime Act which makes it illegal to publish the content online and carried a jail term of up to five years in prison along with a fine of up to 100,000 Baht.

Police Major General Kantapong added: 'The arrest warrant was made but after checking the address, it was found that the two suspects did not return to the condominium for fear of the police. The investigation found that the couple had opened a room at a nearby hotel and they were arrested there.

'There will be an investigation to find all those who made the video clips from the said website.

'This case is considered as the norm to prosecute media producers on the Onlyfans website. If other users are found to have the same behaviour, they will be investigated and further action will be taken.'

The arrest sparked outrage among some Thai nationals, who see the police as another branch of the deeply conservative establishment that has been the subject of mass protests since last year.

Activist Tanawat Wongchai said: 'This was such a dramatic show of force from Thai police. How do Thai people benefit from this?

'The couple only made some sexual content on OnlyFans, they didn’t kill anyone. How about other rape cases? Have the police caught the rapists yet? Come on, Thai police, let’s be serious.'

Twitter user Jellyyours wrote: 'Here I am in a country that sees filming sex for a certain group of people as a crime, but those who commit corruption and attempt murder can get away with it.'