Thailand’s anti-government “Talu Fah” group leader Jatupat Boonpattararaksa, aka “Pai Dao Din”, and other protesters were arrested this afternoon (Monday) in front of the Narcotics Suppression Bureau (NSB), located in the compound of the police club on Vibhavadi Rangsit highway.
Jatupat led the protest at the NSB this morning to demand the release of three of their fellow protesters, who had been arrested on Sunday night, and the return of a public address truck. He told the media that they would disperse once the police release their three colleagues.
As the protesters tried to block the road in front of the police club, crowd control police arrived in two pickup trucks, which were surrounded by the protesters, forcing the police to retreat.
The protesters then splashed and sprayed paint on the wall of the police club.
More police, armed with shields and batons, arrived at the scene shortly after noon and encircled the protesters, until they managed to apprehend Pai and a few core members of the “Thalu Fah” group. Those arrested were taken to the Border Police Region 1 Command, in Khlong Luang district of Pathum Thani, for questioning and detention on charges of defying the Emergency Decree and Communicable Disease Control Act.
Jatupat and fellow political activist Somyos Prueksakasemsuk were granted conditional bail by the Criminal Court in mid-April. Both face multiple charges, including lèse majesté, linked to the protest at Bangkok’s Sanam Luang on September 19th and 20th.
