VOA标准英语2009年-Thailand's Central Bank Hopes to Aid Expor

Thailand's central bank hopes to help the country's beleaguered¹ exporters by allowing more investment overseas part of a strategy to cheapen the Thai baht. Thailand market analysts³ doubt the plan will offer much respite⁴ from the global economic slump⁵.
　
People in Thailand buy fruit at a discount fair supported by the Thai government during the current economic slowdown at a military base in Bangkok, 30 July 2009

Thailand is suffering its most severe downturn in a decade. The Bank of Thailand reports industrial production fell for an eighth consecutive⁶ month in June.

The slide reflects falling global demand for automobiles⁸ and processed food, two of the country's biggest exports.

Exports, which account for about 60 percent of the economy, fell by more than 25 percent in June. Imports were also lower by 25 percent - a sign the local economy remains⁹ weak.

The Bank of Thailand warns the economy could contract more than four percent this year.

Thai industrialists¹⁰ want the central bank to help weaken the baht to make Thai exports cheaper on the international market.

This week the central bank said it would allow more companies to invest overseas, especially in foreign securities and bonds, as a way to weaken the baht. In theory, if companies sell the baht to buy investments overseas, that will reduce its value.

But Supavud Saicheua, an economist¹¹ with stock brokerage Phatra Securities, says that may not help.

"Bottom line is we still have a large trade surplus," he said. "The trade surplus is derived¹² from the fact that imports have not grown and imports have not grown because domestic demand has been relatively¹³ weak. And because you have a trade surplus it's very difficult for the baht to weaken."

The Thai auto⁷ sector¹⁴ has been hard hit by the downturn. Auto production in June was down more than 40 percent from a year ago, and exports of all vehicles, including motorbikes, have fallen more than 40 percent in value in the past year.

Vallop Tiasri, president of the Thailand Automotive Institute, is pessimistic about the central bank's plan.

"I don't think it's easy in this economic situation, in this economic crisis situation, to invest in another country," he noted¹⁵. "That also makes me surprised that you can push the Thai company to bring the money to invest into another country, the weak or weaker economies.

But the government and economists¹⁶ say there are grounds for optimism. The government predicts the economy will begin to recover in the next few months.

Vikas Kawatra is a senior analyst² with Kim Eng Securities. He says there are signs that Thai exporters are moving away from markets such as the United States, because of gains in some regional markets.

"Thailand does have a lot dependency on exports," he explained. "But of late it has been shifting its focus from the U.S. to other regional markets. So long as Asia keeps doing well, Thailand will not be as badly hurt and Asia could lead the recovery this time pretty much for the entire world."

The Asian Development Bank recently said it appears emerging East Asia economies already are moving toward recovery thanks to the government stimulus¹⁷ packages.

1 beleaguered   

adj.受到围困[围攻]的；包围的v.围攻( beleaguer的过去式和过去分词)；困扰；骚扰

参考例句：

• The beleaguered party leader was forced to resign. 那位饱受指责的政党领导人被迫辞职。
• We are beleaguered by problems. 我们被许多困难所困扰。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 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。

3 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。

4 respite   

n.休息，中止，暂缓

参考例句：

• She was interrogated without respite for twenty-four hours.她被不间断地审问了二十四小时。
• Devaluation would only give the economy a brief respite.贬值只能让经济得到暂时的缓解。

5 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

6 consecutive   

adj.连续的，联贯的，始终一贯的

参考例句：

• It has rained for four consecutive days.已连续下了四天雨。
• The policy of our Party is consecutive.我党的政策始终如一。

7 auto   

n.(=automobile)(口语)汽车

参考例句：

• Don't park your auto here.别把你的汽车停在这儿。
• The auto industry has brought many people to Detroit.汽车工业把许多人吸引到了底特律。

8 automobiles   

n.汽车( automobile的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• When automobiles become popular,the use of the horse and buggy passed away. 汽车普及后，就不再使用马和马车了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Automobiles speed in an endless stream along the boulevard. 宽阔的林荫道上，汽车川流不息。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

9 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。

10 industrialists   

n.工业家，实业家( industrialist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• This deal will offer major benefits to industrialists and investors. 这笔交易将会让实业家和投资者受益匪浅。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The government has set up a committee of industrialists and academics to advise it. 政府已成立了一个实业家和学者的委员会来为其提供建议。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

12 derived   

vi.起源；由来；衍生；导出v.得到( derive的过去式和过去分词 )；（从…中）得到获得；源于；（从…中）提取

参考例句：

• Many English words are derived from Latin and Greek. 英语很多词源出于拉丁文和希腊文。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He derived his enthusiasm for literature from his father. 他对文学的爱好是受他父亲的影响。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

14 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

15 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

16 economists   

n.经济学家，经济专家( economist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sudden rise in share prices has confounded economists. 股价的突然上涨使经济学家大惑不解。
• Foreign bankers and economists cautiously welcomed the minister's initiative. 外国银行家和经济学家对部长的倡议反应谨慎。 来自《简明英汉词典》

17 stimulus   

n.刺激，刺激物，促进因素，引起兴奋的事物

参考例句：

• Regard each failure as a stimulus to further efforts.把每次失利看成对进一步努力的激励。
• Light is a stimulus to growth in plants.光是促进植物生长的一个因素。