The three-finger salute from the popular movie franchise 'The Hunger Games' has caught on in Bangkok and anti-coup protesters appear to be using the gesture as a symbol of defiance, according to reports.

In the film, the three fingers are held up as an expression of silent protest by the fictional characters living in an authoritarian state called Panem.

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Demonstrators at Terminal 21 Shopping Mall in Bangkok used the same salute on Sunday in a rally against the newly-formed militant government.

One protestor gave the credit to 'The Hunger Games' by tweeting:

"Dear #HungerGames. We've taken your sign as our own. Our struggle is non-fiction. Thanks."

But others have claimed that the symbol has deeper meaning and the three fingers stand for liberty, equality and fraternity - the French revolutionary mantra.

The Bangkok Post reports that the gesture has become so widespread that Thailand's coup leaders are investigating whether or not to begin arresting people who use it.

However, later reports state that scores of people caught proffering the symbol over the weekend were arrested and dragged away by troops - a situation which bears an eerie resemblance to the events in Suzanne Collins' famous fictional series.

An army ban prohibits more than five people from gathering at a time, but this has not stopped growing protests as people find creative ways to work around the ban or willingly risk arrest in order to demonstrate against the military coup.

A one-week detention is reportedly the norm for even peaceful protesters.

Thailand experienced the coup on May 22, with the military claiming the need to restore order in the nation after months of protests against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

The coup has done little to assuage the battered nation's woes as people are now left fearing what the military-run government has in store. 

TagsThailand, coup, war, Hunger Games, three finger salute, Bangkok