Thai police arrest first protest leader for flouting law

BANGKOK, Feb 10 (AFP): Thai police on Monday arrested an anti-government protest leader, their first such move after months of defiant rallies in Bangkok aimed at ousting Yingluck Shinawatra's beleaguered government.

Protest leaders have flouted arrest warrants and an emergency decree to deliver caustic daily speeches, lead marches, block roads and occupy government buildings in their bid to topple Yingluck's government.

Rallies have continued despite the declaration of a state of emergency before a February 2 snap election. The poll was widely disrupted by protesters in Bangkok and the southern provinces.

Sontiyan Cheunruethainaitham was arrested on Monday morning at a hotel in Bangkok, according to the head of the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) Tarit Pengdith.

"He was the first arrest for defying the state of emergency," he told AFP.

Authorities have repeatedly stated their reluctance to arrest protest leaders. They fear it could spark clashes with the crowd who are occupying key intersections in Bangkok for the fifth week of a self-styled "shutdown"-albeit in diminishing numbers.

Throughout the three months of protests police have adopted defensive tactics, a move which analysts say is intended to avoid violence and the possibility of provoking a military coup.

Dozens of arrest warrants have been issued against leaders of the anti-government movement, who want to topple Yingluck and curb the influence of her divisive billionaire brother Thaksin on Thai politics.