Burmese authorities are to charge pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and her two maids over an incident in which an American swam across a lake to visit her at her house, her party said.

US national John Yettaw was detained by police in the military-ruled nation last week for gaining access to the 63-year-old Nobel Laureate's off-limits residence in Rangoon and staying there for two days.

"Her lawyer said the authorities will charge the lady and her two maids at the court in Insein prison," Nyan Win, a spokesman for her National League for Democracy party said, referring to Burma's most notorious jail.

- AFP