BANGKOK — Few details have emerged about the anti-coup protester who was abducted in plain view yesterday.

The woman was forcefully shoved into a taxi by a group of suspected plain-clothed policemen in front of Sheraton Grand Sukhumvit on Sukhumvit Road at around 2:10 pm on Sunday. 

The men who abducted her were heard saying they were taking the woman to "a police station." It is not clear whether the taxi driver was member of the security forces, although a black-clad man was seen sitting in the back of the car. 

Authorities have yet to publicly disclose any information about the incident or where the woman was taken.

A wallet left behind by the woman contained two ID cards. One belongs to Pailin Puangsiri, a resident of Suan Luang district in Bangkok, while the other belongs to Sunantha Puangsiri, a resident of Tha Maka, Kanchanaburi province.

The woman appeared to be a lone protester nearby the larger anti-coup demonstration at Terminal 21 shopping mall. Shortly before her abduction, she was seen flashing the "three-finger salute” that has become a symbol of opposition to the military junta to security forces who were containing the anti-coup protest nearby.

No relative or friend of the woman could be found at the protest site. 

The incident was captured on camera by the Bangkok Post and has raised concerns that authorities are taking an increasingly heavy-handed approach to cracking down on protesters. 

Another lone protester, a woman in her 70s, was also mobbed and escorted away by police at Ratchaprasong Intersection in central Bangkok yesterday for wearing a mask with an anti-coup message.

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By Somchai Kwankijswet and Peter Janssen

BANGKOK (DPA) — Thousands of soldiers and police were deployed in Bangkok Sunday to thwart sporadic protests against the May 22 coup.

Troops and riot police were stationed in the central shopping district where one political activist had vowed to host a "coup party."

Many of the businesses in the area were closed, although cars were allowed on the streets as usual.

"I've changed the venue of the party," Sombat Boonngamanong posted on Facebook, without saying where he wanted his followers to meet.

One woman, who showed up at the venue sporting a Sombat face mask, was arrested by police after she attempted to flee.  

Sombat, an activist of the Red Shirt street protests that occupied the centre of the capital for months in 2010, has defied a summons from the junta for questioning.

"Catch me if you can," he taunted on his Facebook page.

More than 6,000 soldiers and police were mobilized at eight spots in the capital to quell any signs of unrest Sunday, but by mid-day no major demonstration had materialized.

About 50 anti-coup protesters gathered at one intersection shouting "Elections, Elections," and "Army get out, Police get out."

"I'm not afraid of being arrested because I've done nothing wrong," said Thip, a saleswoman. "It's the army that has done wrong."

Army chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha seized power on May 22, saying the coup was necessary to restore order after more than six months of street protests resulting in terrorist attacks and a political gridlock.

On Friday, he vowed to appoint a prime minister once peace is restored, to enact political reforms and hold elections within about 14 months.       

Since coming to power, the National Council for Peace and Order has detained more than 200 people, most of whom were released after seven days or less.

Thailand has been placed under marital law that bans political gatherings of more than five people. The junta has warned protesters that they face immediate arrest.

Despite the ban, sporadic protests of several hundred people have been held over the past week, so far without the outbreak of serious violence.

To quell the protests, the junta has taken to blocking off traditional protest venues before rallies can gather in force. 

BANGKOK — Former Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra made her first public announcement since the 22 May coup d’état in a Facebook post this morning.

Alongside a photo of her and her son, Ms. Yingluck wrote:

In the past week many things have changed and happened in our country. Many of you have expressed concern about me. I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you who sent your wishes either through the Facebook fan page or through other media. And thank you again for all the support that you have given me all along. I would like to give my moral support to all of you.  

Ms. Yingluck, who led the former goverment until she was ousted in a judicial ruling earlier this month, was one of the first political leaders to be summoned and detained by the military after it staged a coup d'etat. 

The military released Ms. Yingluck after several days on the condition that she not participate in any political activities or leave the country without notifying the army. 

Ms. Yingluck is the sister of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a coup in 2006 but continues to play an influential role in Thai politics. 

A fiercely loyal fan base in Thailand's rural North and Northeast has whisked political parties associated with the Shinawatra family into power in every national election since 2001.

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BANGKOK – Barred from organising rallies by the military, a group of anti-coup activists staged a silent "read-in" protest in central Bangkok this evening.

The activists separated into groups of four along the Siam – Chid Lom elevated "Skywalk" to circumvent the military junta's ban on public gatherings of more than five people.

"This is a non-violent civil disobedience," said one activist, who asked not to be named, explaining that they chose books with titles and topics that symbolize their defiance to the military junta's rule. In addition to George Orwell's "Nineteen Eighty-Four," activists were reading titles  like "Unarmed Insurrection," and ''The Power of Non-Violent Means."

"I believe the security force cannot prosecute us for this activity," the activist added, "If they do, it means a full-scale censorship has taken place [in Thailand]."

The military has sealed off the rally sites of anti-coup protesters in recent days, namely the Victory Monument, and threatened to harshly prosecute any dissidents that publicly air their grievance against the coup.

The activists at Skywalk dispersed peacefully after an hour. They said they had not planned when the next read-in will be held, as the organisers have to assess the situation first.