VOA标准英语2008年-Thailand Wonders if This Is the End for Former

Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has fled Thailand to avoid corruption² charges. Many of his supporters say this is the end of the controversial billionaire's political career, but some opposition³ leaders and political analysts⁵ say they are not writing him off. Ron Corben reports from Bangkok.
　
Deposed⁶ Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman Shinawatra arrive at criminal court in Bangkok, 31 Jul 2008

Thai police issued arrest warrants for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman this week after they fled the country instead of appearing before the Supreme⁷ Court to face corruption charges.

Mr. Thaksin and his family flew to Britain following a trip to the Beijing Olympics.

Several of his allies have said that Mr. Thaksin has abandoned his role in politics and has no more influence in the government.

Kraisak Choonhavan, a member of the opposition Democrat⁸ Party, disagrees, although he thinks the former prime minister will have a more indirect influence now.

"I would say that he's not completely out of the picture still," he said. "He's a fugitive⁹ and he's probably seeking refugee status and the Thai Attorney General would have to prove he's not a refugee and he doesn't deserve to have refugee status. And that will be a legal process that will become a political issue in the near future."

Mr. Thaksin and his wife face trial on several corruption charges for offenses¹⁰ that allegedly occurred while he was in office. Mrs. Pojaman has been convicted in one case and sentenced to three years in prison.

They deny any wrongdoing and say the charges are politically motivated. Mr. Thaksin also has said he does not think he can get a fair trial.

That complaint may resonate with his supporters among the urban and rural poor.

Sunai Pasuk, a representative for Human Rights Watch, says many supporters, who appreciated Mr. Thaksin's programs for the poor, will believe he has been badly treated.

"Well, indeed escape to England this time has turned Thaksin into a political martyr¹¹ which will serve to maintain the strength of his party," he said.

Mr. Thaksin first went into exile after a coup¹² in 2006. The coup was prompted by months of protests led by members of the educated upper classes, who consider him dictatorial¹³ and corrupt¹. He returned to Thailand earlier this year after his allies in the People Power Party won national elections.

Some political analysts say Mr. Thaksin hoped Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej could pass constitutional reforms that would have ended the corruption investigations¹⁴.

However, street protests over the past three months forced the government to delay any changes.

Chris Baker¹⁵, an author and analyst⁴ on Thailand, thinks the protests may ease with Mr. Thaksin gone.

"Yes, I think it's significantly calmed down now," he said. "My guess is that the Samak government will survive for quite a long time, much longer than many people suspect."

Over the next several weeks, prosecutors¹⁶ say they will prepare paperwork to ask British authorities to arrest and extradite Mr. Thaksin and his wife. That process, however, could take months, if not years.

 

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 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。

3 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

4 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。

5 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。

6 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

8 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

9 fugitive   

adj.逃亡的，易逝的；n.逃犯，逃亡者

参考例句：

• The police were able to deduce where the fugitive was hiding.警方成功地推断出那逃亡者躲藏的地方。
• The fugitive is believed to be headed for the border.逃犯被认为在向国境线逃窜。

10 offenses   

n.进攻( offense的名词复数 )；（球队的）前锋；进攻方法；攻势

参考例句：

• It's wrong of you to take the child to task for such trifling offenses. 因这类小毛病责备那孩子是你的不对。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Thus, Congress cannot remove an executive official except for impeachable offenses. 因此，除非有可弹劾的行为，否则国会不能罢免行政官员。 来自英汉非文学 - 行政法

11 martyr   

n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲

参考例句：

• The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
• The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。

12 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。

13 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

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 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。

16 prosecutors   

检举人( prosecutor的名词复数 )； 告发人； 起诉人； 公诉人

参考例句：

• In some places,public prosecutors are elected rather than appointed. 在有些地方，检察官是经选举而非任命产生的。 来自口语例句
• You've been summoned to the Prosecutors' Office, 2 days later. 你在两天以后被宣到了检察官的办公室。