By IANS,
Bangkok : Thai opposition party leader Sonthiyan Chuenruthainaitham was arrested Monday for violating an emergency decree.
The caretaker government Jan 21 invoked the emergency decree in Bangkok and some nearby areas for 60 days, amid escalating violence and protests before the general elections.
Sonthiyarn, who is owner of a news agency, was the first to be arrested among the 19 leaders of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC) under warrants issued by the Thai Criminal Court, reported the Bangkok Post.
On Feb 5, the court issued arrest warrants for the PDRC leaders, including its chairman Suthep Thaugsuban.
The opposition leaders have been protesting since November 2013, calling for reforms before the elections. They also wanted Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to step down.