THAILAND- Thousands of anti-government demonstrators in Thailand have blocked the stadium where candidates were due to register for February 2014 election, claiming that reform is needed before the elections take off.

There was protest across the capital Bangkok, calling on the government to step down.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who called the polls in December try to end the rallies, urged protesters to respect the "democratic system".

The development follows recent claim by the main opposition Democrat Party that it would boycott February's elections.

Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, who was previously a senior Democrat Party politician, said on Sunday: "We disagree with the election. We want the country to be reformed before the election."

He urged protesters to gather outside Bangkok's Thai-Japanese stadium, where candidate registrations were set to take place, on Monday.

"If you want to apply for candidacy, you must walk past our feet first," he said.