VOA标准英语 Political Tensions Rise in Thailand as Protests Esca

Political tensions in Thailand have risen sharply after supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra stepped up protests in the Thai capital and shut down key roads. The protesters threaten more drastic action if the government does not resign.
　
Anti-government protesters and supporters of exiled Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra fill up the Victory monument intersection¹ during a protest in Bangkok, 9 April 2009

Taxi drivers backing former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra Thursday closed off key intersections² in the capital, Bangkok. The blockade only worsened the city's infamously³ choked traffic, lengthening⁴ rush-hour commutes⁵.

Protesters demand PM's resignation

The pro-Thaksin forces, mostly wearing red, demanded that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva resign.

Mr. Abhisit, who leads the Democrat⁶ Party in a coalition⁷ government, rejects that demand.

A protester at one blockade, speaking through a translator expresses concern for tourist and others inconvenienced.

"Sorry for the [inconvenience] at the moment," the protester said. "We only want the government to heed⁸ to our demands. I think this will not take a long time."

Buranaj Smutharak, a Democrat Party spokesman, says the protests could proceed if they remain lawful⁹ and peaceful. But he says the government is considering steps to prevent violence.

"Instances where there are clear attempts either to destroy public or private property or create civil unrest then they will be dealt with according to the letter of law. But at the same time, the government is exploring avenues to sit down and negotiate," Buranaj said.

Thaksin frequently addresses protesters

The rallies began in March, and Mr. Thaksin, who fled Thailand last year in the face of corruption¹¹ charges, has addressed protestors frequently by video link. He was ousted¹² in a coup¹³ in 2006.

The protests follow months of similar demonstrations¹⁴ by anti-Thaksin forces last year. Those protesters, clad in yellow, took over a government building and seized Bangkok's airports before court rulings ousted a government linked to Mr. Thaksin.

Demonstrations could spark violence

Chris Baker¹⁵, an author and commentator¹⁶ on Thai politics, says that if the pro-Thaksin forces escalate¹⁷ their demonstrations, it could spark violence, leading the military to intervene in politics.

"The army has clearly taken a very different attitude to the Red Shirts demonstrations than it has to the Yellow," Baker said. "It has said from the beginning it will not tolerate these demonstrations in the same way [as last year's]. So there has to be a breaking point."

Thailand has become increasingly divided since Mr. Thaksin first came to power in 2001, with the support of the urban and rural poor. The country's urban middle class, however, opposed him, accusing him of being corrupt¹⁰ and authoritarian¹⁸.

The pro-Thaksin groups have threatened to take their protest to this weekend's Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit at a seaside resort near Bangkok. The government says the meeting will go ahead, despite a threat by the protesters to disrupt it.

In addition to the 10 members of ASEAN, government heads from Australia, China, India, Japan, New Zealand and South Korea are expected to attend.

1 intersection   

n.交集，十字路口，交叉点；[计算机] 交集

参考例句：

• There is a stop sign at an intersection.在交叉路口处有停车标志。
• Bridges are used to avoid the intersection of a railway and a highway.桥用来避免铁路和公路直接交叉。

2 intersections   

n.横断( intersection的名词复数 )；交叉；交叉点；交集

参考例句：

• Traffic lights have been placed at all major intersections. 所有重要的交叉路口都安装了交通信号灯。
• Intersections are of the greatest importance in highway design. 在道路设计中，交叉口占有最重要的地位。 来自辞典例句

3 infamously   

不名誉地

参考例句：

• They will not have much cause of triumph when they see how infamously I act. 当他们看到我演得那么糟糕时，他们就不会有多少理由感到胜利了。

4 lengthening   

（时间或空间）延长，伸长( lengthen的现在分词 )； 加长

参考例句：

• The evening shadows were lengthening. 残阳下的影子越拉越长。
• The shadows are lengthening for me. 我的影子越来越长了。 来自演讲部分

5 commutes   

上下班路程( commute的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She commutes from Oxford to London every day. 她每天上下班往返于牛津与伦敦之间。
• Barbara lives in Oxford and commutes. 芭芭拉住在牛津，通勤往来。

6 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。

7 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

8 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。

9 lawful   

adj.法律许可的，守法的，合法的

参考例句：

• It is not lawful to park in front of a hydrant.在消火栓前停车是不合法的。
• We don't recognised him to be the lawful heir.我们不承认他为合法继承人。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 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。

14 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

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 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

17 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

18 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。