Police and soldiers on Friday evening arrested 14 students from the New Democracy Group for staging a protest the day before after a military court issued warrants.
The students were taken into custody without incident at the Suan Ngern Mee Ma garden near the Satienkoset-Nakaprateep Foundation between Soi Charoennakhon 20-22 in Khlong San district of Bangkok. They were being held at the Phra Ratchawang police station
They were Rangsiman Rome, Wasant Sadesit, Songtham Kaewpanphruek, Payu Boonsopon, Apiwat Suntararak, Rattapol Supasophon, Supachai Pookhlongploy, Apisit Sapnapapha, Panupong Sritananuwat, Suvicha Pitungkorn, Pakorn Areekul, Chatupat Boonyapatraksa, Pornchai Yuanyee and Chonticha Chaengreo.
They are charged with instigation and assembly of five or more under the junta's Order No. 3 and sections 116 and 83 of the Criminal Code. If convicted, they could face jail terms of more than three years.
The arrests followed an anti-coup protest that the student activists at the Democracy Monument on Thursday.
Security officers trailed the activists but did not attempt to arrest them, to the surprise of many onlookers.
Earlier, there were reports that the students would hold a news conference in response to comments made by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and army chief Gen Udomdej Sitabutr that they were backed by a political group.
Their friends gathered and sang a song while they were taken away.
A group of people across the street gathered in protest against the students and cheered when they were whisked away.
After the activists reached the police station, Sulak Sivaraksa, a well-known scholar and social critic who owns Suan Ngern Mee ma and has been giving moral support to anti-coup activists, asked to visit them but police denied his request.
However, their lawyer was allowed to meet them, according to the tweets by Thai Lawyers for Human Rights, which said the students insisted on being tried in a civilian court.
Poonsuk Poonsukcharoen, a lawyer from the group, said police were seeking to detain the students at the military court tonight.
Their lawyer was preparing to object to the request with the military court and have them released later Friday night.