Thai protest leaders play cat and mouse with police as thousands rally

Government is struggling to control unprecedented student-led pro-democracy movement

Wearing hard hats and dressed in black, thousands of people rallied in Bangkok on Sunday, using Hong Kong-inspired tactics to defy the authorities and demand that the prime minister resign and the power of the royal family be curbed.

The government is struggling to control an unprecedented student-led movement that began on university campuses and has since spread to streets across the country. Protesters have risked long jail sentences to breach the country's ultimate taboo and call for reforms to the monarchy, demanding that the institution be answerable to the people. They also want wider democratic reforms including a new constitution.