The Thai capital Bangkok was braced for more protests Friday as anti-government Red Shirts vowed to defy a state of emergency and again take to the streets.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was due to be representing Thailand at a Southeast Asian summit but instead apparently spent another night holed up at an army barracks.

Abhisit cancelled his attendance at the ASEAN summit in Hanoi, where fellow premiers expressed concern about Thailand's deep political rift, which pits Bangkok's ruling elite against the mainly poor and rural Reds.

It is almost a year to the day since a previous ASEAN gathering in the Thai resort of Pattaya was cancelled after protesters broke into the summit venue, illustrating just how long the country has been politically unstable.

The government announced emergency rule on Wednesday after protesters briefly forced their way into the parliament compound. Lawmakers fled and several senior government figures were airlifted to safety.

It is the fourth time since 2008 emergency law has been declared in the capital due to political turmoil.

Thai authorities moved on Thursday to arrest Red Shirt protest leaders involved in the storming of parliament, while pulling the plug on dozens of websites and a television station loyal to their cause.

A court issued arrest warrants for seven Red Shirts, including Arisman Pongreungrong, who was also involved in storming last year's Pattaya summit.

"Once leaders who prefer violence are arrested, we believe we can persuade other protesters to leave the protest site," Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters Thursday, referring to a rally in Bangkok's commercial hub.

Abhisit's government has banned public gatherings of more than five people and given broad powers to police and military under emergency rule in the capital and surrounding areas.

The Thai government shut down dozens of websites and a television channel loyal to Red Shirt supporters of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra who have occupied Bangkok's commercial hub.

Leaders of the tens of thousands of supporters of Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 military coup, have refused to halt their protests. The authorities have so far avoided using force to break up the rallies.

Instead, they targeted media loyal to the red-clad movement, shutting down its satellite TV channel showing rolling coverage of the demonstrations, along with 36 websites, and vowing to clamp down on pro-Red radio stations.

The army said the number of demonstrators in the commercial district had dwindled after the TV channel was pulled.

"With a small number of protesters, it will be more acceptable for the public in the case of the government enforcing harsher measures," military spokesman Sunsern Kaewkumnerd said Thursday.

One protest leader, Natthawut Saikua told the Bangkok Post that a major rally would begin on Friday at 9am (0200GMT).

The rally would be prolonged and draw a huge crowd, he added, and protest activities would be at a higher level than before.

- AFP