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

Meanwhile legislative and government leaders have reached a consensus on the road map for a 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 Choonhavan on Soi Rajakhru off Rama VI.

Kraisak is a key supporter of the PAD.

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

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

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 yesterday, having told PAD lawyer Suwat Aphaipak that he wanted to 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 nine PAD leaders wanted for treason, told the media he had long been followed by agents of the state and nearly arrested several times but narrowly escaped on Thursday when he went back 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."

"The trust have been lost. It's clear that the government were not sincere and willing to do anything just for [ousted premier] Thaksin Shinawatra," he said.

 At the main PAD stage at Government House, protesters were told that more PAD supporters from the South were heading to the capital to beef up security.