A Thai court issued arrest warrants at police request Wednesday for nine leaders of the anti-government movement whose members are occupying the prime minister's compound in a standoff with riot police. Deputy police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suraphol Tuanthong said the leaders of the right-wing People's Alliance for Democracy face charges including insurrection, which carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment. The nine leaders also face charges of conspiracy to commit insurrection, assembling 10 or more persons to cause a public disturbance, and ignoring a lawful order to disperse.

The protest group's best known leaders are Chamlong Srimuang, an influential former politician and army officer, and Sondhi Limthongkul, a media mogul.

The group, whose 2006 demonstrations helped undermine the government of then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has been holding protests against the current government since May.

Thai Interior Minister Kowit Watana, meanwhile, appealed to the several thousand alliance supporters encamped outside the offices of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to leave immediately so that a ceremony honoring the country's royal family could be held there Saturday.

The alliance is seeking to have Samak's government step down, saying it serves as a proxy for Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several pending corruption cases. Thaksin is in self-exile in Britain.

Samak has said he won't use force to remove the protesters. He says they are trying to incite violence that will lead to bloodshed and the conditions for another coup.

Nearly 2,000 Thai police were facing off against the demonstrators, who occupied the grounds of Government House on Tuesday afternoon and stayed overnight.

Alliance leaders were unfazed by the heavy police presence and by scuffles overnight between security forces and protesters, and said the protest movement would continue even if they are arrested.

"We are ready to spend time in jail," Chamlong told a crowd assembled inside the compound in the capital, Bangkok. "The (alliance) will continue to protest until our demands are met. This government has to resign."

About 500 helmeted riot police forced their way into the compound overnight, briefly clashing with protesters. But fighting stopped after a few minutes, and police were able to take up positions inside the compound, later joined by more colleagues.

The rally at Government House has been otherwise peaceful and the protesters have not tried to enter any official buildings there.

The alliance, which is loosely aligned with conservative factions of the monarchy and the military, said their protests were a "final showdown" in efforts to oust the government.

"If we leave before this government resigns, that means we are defeated," Chamlong said.

The takeover of the Government House compound was the latest twist in a political crisis that began in early 2006, when critics of Thaksin established the alliance to force him from office over allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

After Thaksin was deposed in the bloodless coup, his party was dissolved and he was banned from public office until 2012.

But Samak led Thaksin's political allies to a December 2007 election victory, and their assumption of power triggered fears that Thaksin would make a political comeback. He remains popular with the country's rural majority.

The alliance responded by resuming their protests in May, accusing Samak of trying to amend the constitution to free Thaksin from a string of corruption charges.

Thaksin skipped bail ahead of his latest corruption hearing and went to England, claiming he would not get a fair trial in Thailand.

On Tuesday, the alliance stormed and seized the main offices of the government run NBT televisions station, temporarily forcing it off the air. It also sent mobs to besiege four government ministries. By Tuesday night, the protesters, who the government said numbered about 30,000 in all, withdrew to consolidate their position at Government House.

Samak told reporters Tuesday that the government would not use force to eject the protesters, but was preparing legal action against them. He said he had no intention of resigning and expected to end the crisis in a day.

He accused the protesters of trying to spark a confrontation with authorities that would lead to violence.

"They want bloodshed in the country. They want the military to come out and do the coup again," he said.

Gen. Anupong Paochinda, the army chief, reassured the public Tuesday that the military was not planning another coup, and would not get involved in politics.

Written By SUTIN WANNABOVORN

Email To A Friend