Thai authorities have made a rare arrest of one of the leaders of the country’s anti-government protest movement on charges including insurrection and inciting unrest, an official said yesterday.
Former opposition lawmaker Sakoltee Phattiyakul is one of just a handful of prominent protesters to have been detained despite dozens of arrest warrants.
He was arrested at about midnight yesterday at Bangkok’s main airport while returning from a trip overseas.
“He faces five serious accusations, including insurrection, trespassing, inciting unrest and obstruction of an election,” Ministry of Justice Department of Special Investigation director-general Tarit Pengdith said.
Anti-government movement leaders have flouted arrest warrants to deliver fiery speeches, lead marches, block roads and besiege government buildings in their bid to topple Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
They want to replace Yingluck’s government with an unelected “people’s council” that would oversee reforms to tackle alleged corruption and rein in the political dominance of her billionaire family.
Top protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban faces several arrest warrants linked to the rallies, including for treason, as well as murder charges linked to a deadly crackdown on opposition demonstrations in 2010 when he was deputy Thai prime minister.
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