2006年VOA标准英语-Polls Indicate Thais Welcome Military Action Af

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
22 September 2006

Thais have generally reacted positively¹ to this week's coup², with polls pointing to support in both urban and rural areas for the military intervention³. Many people hope the coup leaders will stick to promises of political reform and elections next year.

-----

Thai soldiers guard the entrance to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra's house, Friday    
  
A poll released after Tuesday's military coup in Thailand showed Thais overwhelmingly support the action, because it ended months of political tensions.

The respected Rajabhat Institute poll showed more than 80 percent approval for the coup, which ended the government of Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Thaksin is now in London.

Early this year, tens-of-thousands of protesters called on Mr. Thaksin to resign over allegations of corruption⁴ and abuse of power. There also were growing rifts⁵ between the prime minister and the military.

Khun Dah, a Bangkok housewife, supports the coup.

"We were waiting for a long time, because the politics this last couple of years is not so good," she said.

The country has been calm since the coup, and except for an increased military presence in some areas, there is little outward sign the military has seized control. Foreign tourists - who are key to Thailand's economy - continue to arrive to enjoy the country's beaches and bars. 

Sondhi Boonyaratglin (file photo)   
  
The coup leaders, headed by Army General Sondhi Boonyaratglin, have promised to appoint a civilian⁶ prime minister within two weeks and hold elections in October 2007.

Phakachom Manutham, a sales assistant, says her support for the coup lies in the fact that it ended the risk of violent conflicts between pro- and anti-Thaksin groups.

She says it is good to have the reform by General Sondhi, because, if the political reform is successful this time, the country will get back democracy.

A Thai banker, who asked not to be named, backed calls for investigations⁷ into allegations of corruption within Mr. Thaksin's government.

"If some people do the wrong way, and General Sondhi try to make it the right way, I think it's good," the banker said. "The situation is better, and it's very friendly between soldiers and people, you see. And the news from General Sondhi, they try to change everything on the right way. I think, it's going to be good."

Others, such as this government worker, who said his name was Mr. Jed, look to the military to keep its promise of constitutional reform.

"[General Sondhi] said that he will give the new prime minister in two weeks and also the new constitutional law within one year from now. We wait to see that," he said.

Thai newspaper editorials and commentaries Friday also called on the military to stand by the promise to return power to the people as soon as possible. The Bangkok Post newspaper said it hoped the coup leaders' deeds are as good as their words.

1 positively   

adv.明确地，断然，坚决地；实在，确实

参考例句：

• She was positively glowing with happiness.她满脸幸福。
• The weather was positively poisonous.这天气着实讨厌。

2 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

3 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

4 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。

5 rifts   

n.裂缝( rift的名词复数 )；裂隙；分裂；不和

参考例句：

• After that, through the rifts in the inky clouds sparkled redder and yet more luminous particles. 然后在几条墨蓝色云霞的隙缝里闪出几个更红更亮的小片。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• The Destinies mend rifts in time as man etches fate. 当人类想要再次亵渎命运的时候，命运及时修正了这些裂痕。 来自互联网

6 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。

7 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。