VOA标准英语10月-Thai PM Resists Resignation Calls Despite Pressur

Thailand's prime minister says he will not resign, despite calls by the Thai military to step down following bloodshed at an anti-government demonstration¹ last week. Ron Corben reports for VOA from Bangkok.
　

Somchai Wongsawat (l) speaks during press conference at Bangkok airport, 17 Oct 2008

Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat told reporters Friday he would not step aside, vowing² to continue to work despite calls from military chiefs for his resignation.

An anti-government rally on October 7 left at least two dead and 400 wounded when Thai border and local police opened fire with tear gas and incendiary devices on thousands of protesters outside parliament. At least 20 police were also injured in the violence.

Prime Minister Somchai says the government will await the results of an investigation³ before making a decision on the government's next moves. He said his work covered official duties, including the funeral rites⁴ for the Thai King's late sister, and hosting a regional summit of Asian leaders in December.

A day earlier, army chief General Anupong Paochinda, speaking on national television, called on the government to "take responsibility" and resign.

Mr. Somchai assumed the post of prime minister in September, after the former government leader, Samak Sundaravej, was forced to stand down after being found guilty in a case of conflict of interest.
　

Several thousand anti-government protesters block streets in downtown Bangkok, Thailand, 17 Oct 2008

Protesters on Friday, led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, or PAD, called on the government to resign.

A protester said the government needed to heed⁵ the Thai army chief's call to resign. "Yes, I fully⁶ agree with him [the Army chief] - the government should resign immediately," he said.

Political analyst⁷ Chris Baker⁸ said Prime Minister Somchai may be under pressure to remain in office to assist his brother-in-law, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who is facing several court cases. Thaksin fled to Britain in August during a key corruption⁹ case. Courts have since issued several warrants for his arrest.

The People's Alliance for Democracy has accused the government, elected last December, of acting¹⁰ as a proxy¹¹ for Thaksin. Analysts¹² say the administration is seeking to amend¹³ the constitution to halt investigations¹⁴ and court proceedings¹⁵ against Thaksin, his family and supporters.

"I think the only way you can explain it is that Thaksin has put a lot of pressure on his brother-in-law to stand up there and take the heat - it is very high risk indeed. I think the priority is to try and overthrow¹⁶ as much of the court processes as they can - that means they have to hold the current attorney general in place," said political analyst Baker.

Thailand's politics remains¹⁷ deeply divided. Thaksin, elected in 2001, maintains strong support in rural areas, due to his government's populist polices of low cost health care and village support funds.

But the urban middle class has accused Thaksin and his supporters of abuse of power. Calls for Thaksin to resign in 2006 led to a last military coup¹⁸ that September. The armed forces say they are ruling out a coup, and have called on the government to settle the problems through the political process.

1 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

2 vowing   

起誓，发誓（vow的现在分词形式）

参考例句：

• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild its collapsed bridge. 布什总统承诺将帮助明尼阿波利斯重建坍塌的大桥。
• President Bush is vowing to help Minneapolis rebuild this collapse bridge. 布什总统发誓要帮助明尼阿波利斯重建起这座坍塌的桥梁。

3 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

4 rites   

仪式，典礼( rite的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• to administer the last rites to sb 给某人举行临终圣事
• He is interested in mystic rites and ceremonies. 他对神秘的仪式感兴趣。

5 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。

6 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

7 analyst   

n.分析家，化验员；心理分析学家

参考例句：

• What can you contribute to the position of a market analyst?你有什么技能可有助于市场分析员的职务？
• The analyst is required to interpolate values between standards.分析人员需要在这些标准中插入一些值。

8 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

9 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。

10 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

11 proxy   

n.代理权，代表权；（对代理人的）委托书；代理人

参考例句：

• You may appoint a proxy to vote for you.你可以委托他人代你投票。
• We enclose a form of proxy for use at the Annual General Meeting.我们附上委任年度大会代表的表格。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

14 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。

15 proceedings   

n.进程，过程，议程；诉讼(程序)；公报

参考例句：

• He was released on bail pending committal proceedings. 他交保获释正在候审。
• to initiate legal proceedings against sb 对某人提起诉讼

16 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。

17 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

18 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。