About 300 anti-government protesters on March 5 marched to the headquarters of the ruling Puea Thai party as rumours spread that the government could move from Bangkok to a stronghold of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in the northern province of Chiang Mai.

However, they left soon afterwards without conflict.

The protesters next moved to the excise department as part of a campaign to prevent ministries and agencies from operating.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban said that the campaign will increase despite protesters stopping their blockage of Bangkok’s main streets last weekend.

Meanwhile, the Bangkok Post reported that Thailand's Criminal Court approved an arrest warrant against Suthep, himself a former deputy prime minister, on charges of murder and attempted murder in a protest crackdown in 2010.

This is the third arrest warrant the court has approved against Suthep, after one for inciting unrest and another for violating the emergency decree by leading protests.

Earlier on March 4, Yingluck convened a meeting with Army Commander-in-Chief Prayuth Chan-ocha and senior military officers amidst worry about a possible conflict between the army and “Red shirt” groups.-VNA