Meanwhile, dozens of members of the People's Alliance for Democracy armed with golf clubs, batons and bamboo sticks stood guard around the perimeter of the Government House compound. Protesters locked the gates and built up makeshift barriers of tires in anticipation of a police raid.

Chamlong Srimuang, one of the top alliance leaders, said the protesters are doing nothing wrong.

"We are staging a protest because the government has made too many mistakes and has no legitimacy to run the country," he said.

The alliance is seeking to force the government of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej to step down, accusing it of corruption and of serving as a proxy for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup and faces several corruption cases.

Late Wednesday, Bangkok Civil Court issued a ruling ordering the alliance to leave the government compound and stop blocking public streets, said Deputy Police Chief Lt. Gen. Jongrak Chutanont.

Arrest warrants were also issued for nine leaders of the right-wing protest group. Deputy police spokesman Maj. Gen. Suraphol Tuanthong said the Criminal Court issued warrants for the arrest of the nine alliance leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse.

Insurrection, which is the legal equivalent of treason, carries a maximum penalty of death or life imprisonment.

A couple thousand additional protesters poured into the Government House compound in response to the court order, and many formed a human chain overnight around the group's top leaders to prevent them from being taken away.

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