Thai protest leaders say they will surrender

THAILAND: Leaders of Thailand's anti-government protests said Thursday they would surrender to police after a court dropped treason charges against them, but they vowed to continue their sit-in at the prime minister's office.

Protest leader Sondhi Limthongkul said he and other leaders of the People's Alliance for Democracy would report to police and apply for bail as early as Thursday afternoon.

Arrest warrants were issued for the alliance's nine leaders Aug. 27, the day after they led thousands of protesters into the main government office complex, Government House, where they have been camped ever since to demand electoral changes and an end to corruption in Thai politics.

The Appeals Court on Thursday revoked three of the five charges on the warrant: treason, stockpiling of weapons and refusing to disperse.

The court said it would issue new warrants with the remaining two charges of inciting public disturbance and illegal assembly - which carry prison terms of seven and three years, respectively.

Protest leaders had said they were willing to fight the charges, except treason which carries a life sentence and they deemed unjustified.

"We have never accepted the charges of insurrection and stockpiling of weapons in the first place so I am grateful that the court revoked them," Sondhi told protesters from a stage on the Government House lawn. "We will report to the police for the rest of the charges."