VOA慢速英语2014 泰国军方统治者编写新宪法

 

AS IT IS 2014-07-27 Thai Military Rulers Write New Constitution 泰国军方统治者编写新宪法

Thailand’s military rulers have written a temporary constitution that lets the army keep a great deal of power. The army chief could also become the country’s next prime minister under the measure. The army chief now controls the government and the legislature.

The constitution recognizes the military overthrow¹ of the civilian² government on May 22nd.  It gives military rulers control over the country’s political leaders and its judges.

The military is now to choose the 220 members of a legislature to replace the House of Representatives and the Senate. That legislature is then to choose a prime minister and cabinet. The constitution bars anyone who ever held a position in a political party from consideration.

It also requires members of the new legislature to be at least 40 years old. It bars anyone who has ever been removed from a government position for what the document calls “corruption³, fraud or misconduct.”

Narongchai Akrasanee is a former commerce minister. He is an economic advisor⁴ to the military government. He says the process will likely lead to elections in October, 2015.

“The timeline is like this now we have the interim⁵ constitution: names of members of the NLA, the national legislative⁶ assembly, would be announced most likely within two weeks and the government would be formed after that. And as General Prayuth said, the government with military participation⁷ would be in place definitely in September.”

On Tuesday, Thailand’s King supported the new constitution in a ceremony with General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the army chief. The ceremony suggested the king approved of the ousting⁸ of the civilian government.

In the next few months, the proposed new legislature is expected to name members to a committee that will write a permanent constitution.

Experts believe General Prayuth will be named prime minister by the new legislature.

The new constitution meets most of the demands of the protestors who had gathered in the capital Bangkok for months. They had called for the removal of then-Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. They also had demanded formation of a committee to govern the country.  They wanted it to establish political reforms before holding new elections.

Few people are willing to criticize the new constitution. That is because the military has the power to detain anyone who says something it believes could cause unrest.

The military rulers have decreased the freedom to report news in Thailand. The media restrictions⁹ are the strongest ordered in many years.

A member of Thai Students for Democracy spoke¹⁰ to VOA by Skype. He says his hidden group will not follow the military’s rules. He says the new constitution was put in place by what he calls a “system of tyrants¹¹.”

“The latest military junta¹² is still maintaining the value of constitutional and freedom. But right now our value of constitution's check-and-balances, freedoms and liberty has gone. This is so ridiculous for them to do it like this because it means we’re back to the situation like in Burma with the military rule. This is a huge step back for democratic development in this country.”

Others oppose the new constitution. Messages on social media say the document hurts democracy in the country. Some believe the new constitution will permit a small group of rich people to rule.

The military rulers say the constitution will, in its words, “help solve the crisis and return the situation to normal, restore security, unity¹³ and solve economic problems.” A reform committee will write rules that military leaders say will prevent and suppress corruption and investigate abuses of those in power.

Rule by the King ended in Thailand in 1932. Since then, many civilian governments have been ousted¹⁴ by the military. The generals or judges have ousted three civilian governments since 2006.

Billionaire politician Thaksin Shinawatra supported parties that won the last five national elections in Thailand. He was ousted as prime minister in 2006.

Military officials say they want to prevent Thaksin Shinawatra from influencing politics ever again. In 2008 a military-controlled committee found him guilty of corruption. He fled the country. If he returns, he will be imprisoned¹⁵.

His younger sister -- Yingluck Shinawatra -- was ousted as prime minister this year after six months of protests in Bangkok.

General Prayuth seized control of the government soon after that ousting. The government has since questioned and temporarily detained hundreds of people. Most are believed to be supporters of the Shinawatras or critics of the military or of Thailand’s strong laws against criticizing the king.

General Prayuth says the ouster of the civilian government was necessary. He said there had been a long period of time when political leaders were unable to govern the country. He says the military will improve democracy in Thailand and will, in his words, “return happiness to the people.”

1 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

2 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

3 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

4 advisor   

n.顾问，指导老师，劝告者

参考例句：

• They employed me as an advisor.他们聘请我当顾问。
• The professor is engaged as a technical advisor.这位教授被聘请为技术顾问。

5 interim   

adj.暂时的，临时的；n.间歇，过渡期间

参考例句：

• The government is taking interim measures to help those in immediate need.政府正在采取临时措施帮助那些有立即需要的人。
• It may turn out to be an interim technology.这可能只是个过渡技术。

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 participation   

n.参与，参加，分享

参考例句：

• Some of the magic tricks called for audience participation.有些魔术要求有观众的参与。
• The scheme aims to encourage increased participation in sporting activities.这个方案旨在鼓励大众更多地参与体育活动。

8 ousting   

驱逐( oust的现在分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• The resulting financial chaos led to the ousting of Bristol-Myers' s boss. 随后引发的财政混乱导致了百时美施贵宝的总裁下台。
• The ousting of the president has drawn widespread criticism across Latin America and the wider world. 洪都拉斯总统被驱逐时间引起拉丁美洲甚至全世界的广泛批评。

9 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

10 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

11 tyrants   

专制统治者( tyrant的名词复数 )； 暴君似的人； （古希腊的）僭主； 严酷的事物

参考例句：

• The country was ruled by a succession of tyrants. 这个国家接连遭受暴君的统治。
• The people suffered under foreign tyrants. 人民在异族暴君的统治下受苦受难。

12 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

13 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

14 ousted   

驱逐( oust的过去式和过去分词 )； 革职； 罢黜； 剥夺

参考例句：

• He was ousted as chairman. 他的主席职务被革除了。
• He may be ousted by a military takeover. 他可能在一场军事接管中被赶下台。

15 imprisoned   

下狱，监禁( imprison的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was imprisoned for two concurrent terms of 30 months and 18 months. 他被判处30个月和18个月的监禁，合并执行。
• They were imprisoned for possession of drugs. 他们因拥有毒品而被监禁。