Chaiwat held on

Police yesterday arrested Chaiwat Sinsuwong, one of the People's Alliance for Democracy's nine leaders, on a treason charge.

The PAD has been occupying Government House, the country's official seat of power, since an August 26 siege.

Meanwhile legislative and government leaders reached a consensus on a road map for political reform.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat said the Constitution's Article 291 would be first amended to pave way for the setting up of a Constitution Drafting Assembly. The anti-government PAD has a different position on political reform. Police said Chaiwat had been apprehended at 2.30pm at the expressway toll gate at Rama VI Road shortly after he left the house of Democrat Party MP Kraisak Chonhavan. Kraisak is a key supporter of the PAD.

Police staked out the toll gate upon learning  Chaiwat had left Kraisak's house. He was taken to the Border Patrol Police Region 1 Command in Pathum Thani's Klong Luang district.

Chalong Srimuang, another PAD leader, called an emergency meeting to discuss the arrest.

Sources said there would be no attempts to incite fervour amongst protesters at Government House or to hold protests at the border-patrol police office to press for Chaiwat's release.

Chaiwat refused to seek bail, having told PAD lawyer Suwat Aphaipak  he would wait for a court order regarding his arrest.

Meanwhile confusion reigned as two other PAD leaders, Piphob Thongchai and Suriyasai Katasila, who are normally at the Makhawan Bridge protest site, were not seen yesterday.

Therdphoom Jaidee, another of the PAD leaders wanted for treason, told the media he had long been followed by agents of the state and nearly arrested  but narrowly escaped on Thursday when he went home to fetch clothes. "The good ambience fostered by the upcoming dialogue between the government and the PAD has been undermined by the arrest of Chaiwat," he said.