VOA常速英语2014--Thailand Braces for Protests Ahead of February Election 泰国2月大选之前面临许多抗议（在线收听）

Thailand Braces for Protests Ahead of February Election 泰国2月大选之前面临许多抗议

The Thai government led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is pressing ahead with nationwide elections on February 2, despite a boycott by the main opposition Democrat Party. Street protests are expected to increase as demonstrators demand the polls be delayed.

虽然遭到反对党民主党的抵制，泰国总理英拉·西纳瓦领导的政府正在推进2月2日的全国选举。泰国抗议者要求推迟选举，预计，泰国会出现更多的街头抗议。

Thailand’s ruling Pheu Thai Party hopes the February elections return them to office with an even bigger majority. The campaign slogan “Respect My Vote” is a rebuttal to the anti-government demonstrators who succeeded in blocking candidates from registering in 28 districts.

泰国执政党“为泰党”希望在2月份的大选中以更大的多数重返权力中心。他们的选举口号为“尊重我的选票”， 这是对反政府示威者的一种反驳。此前，反政府抗议者成功阻止候选人在28个选区登记。

Nevertheless, the party is widely expected to regain its majority in parliament, partly because of populist policies that have benefited its backers, especially in northern rural areas.

尽管如此，广泛预计，为泰党将获得议会多数席位，部分原因是为泰党的一些民粹主义政策让支持者获利，特别是北部的农村地区的支持者。

In the capital however, tens of thousands of mainly urban middle class Thais are hoping to stop the polls by occupying key parts of the city.

但是在首都地区，成千上万的泰国中产阶级占领城市的重要地点，举行示威来阻止选举。

Suranand Vejjajiva, secretary general to the prime minister, says holding the polls will ensure Thai democracy moves forward.

泰国总理府秘书长苏拉南说，举行选举将确保泰国民主向前发展。

"If there's no election I think conflict and confrontation will intensify and it could lead to more violence which I don't think anyone in Thailand or even in the international community would like to see," he said.

他说：“如果没有选举，我想冲突和对抗会进一步加深，这会导致更多的暴力。我想，泰国或是国际社会的任何一个人都不愿意看到这样的情况出现。”

The street protests began after Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's government backed an amnesty bill that could have allowed her older brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, to avoid a jail term for corruption and return to Thailand.

泰国民众最初举行街头示威，抗议英拉政府支持的一项特赦议案。根据这个特赦议案，英拉的兄长他信就会被免除因贪腐而判处的刑期，返回泰国。

Yingluck called for new elections, but protesters and the opposition Democrat Party, who cannot match the political strength of Pheu Thai, demanded the government be replaced by a non-elected reform council.

英拉呼吁举行新的选举，但是抗议者和反对党民主党因为无法在政治上与为泰党匹敌，要求用一个非选举产生的改革委员会来替代现政府。

Protest leader and former lawmaker Suthep Thaugsuban argues that step will make Thailand more transparent and democratic.

抗议领导人和前议员苏德说，这样的举措会使得泰国更加透明和民主。

“Our main aim is to reform Thailand to make the election clean, without any corruption without any vote buying and we want to elect representatives that will truly represent the people,” he said.

他说：“我们的主要目的是改革泰国，使得选举更加纯洁，没有腐败，没有贿选，我们希望选举出真正代表民众的代表。”

The anti-government movement aims to “shut down” Bangkok from January 13 to pressure the government to resign.

反政府抗议者的目标是从1月13日后封锁曼谷，迫使政府辞职。

Analysts and the Thai military are warning of growing violence.

分析人士和泰国军方都警告说，暴力活动可能进一步加剧。

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, a political scientist at Chulalongkorn University, fears the election will fail to solve Thailand's political crisis.

泰国朱拉隆功大学的政治学者蒂提南担心，选举不会解决泰国的政治危机。

"The polls on February 2 are going to be part of the crisis more than part of the resolution because if they don't take place, the pro-election side will be unhappy," he said. "But if they do take place, there will be all kinds of mayhem from the other side and controversy from the anti-government side."

蒂提南说：“2月2号的选举更多会是危机的一部分，而不是解决办法的一部分。因为如果不举行选举，支持选举的一派是不会开心的；但是如果举行选举，又会有来自另一派的各种混乱，以及反政府力量的争议。”

More than 50 parties are contesting the February second vote, led by Prime Minister Yingluck's Pheu Thai party. But with massive protests scheduled for the capital in the coming days it will prove a vital test for Thailand's democracy.

大约有50多个党派参加2月份的第二次选举，其中总理英拉的为泰党是主导力量。但是，因为未来几天首都地区预计出现大规模抗议，这将是对泰国民主的一次重大考验。