VOA标准英语2010年-Thailand's Tourism Industry Takes a Be

Thailand's economy is taking a battering¹, especially the vital tourism industry as the latest protests in Bangkok have frightened off visitors to the country. Tensions have escalated² as protesters moved to force military units to stand down amid minor³ grenade explosions in the capital.

 

Thailand's tourism industry has taken a hit as thousands of anti-government protesters have taken to the streets over the past few weeks to try to force fresh elections.

The so-called Red Shirts, supporters of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have mounted a series of targeted demonstrations⁴, ranging from ritualistic blood curses to head-shaving to noisy parades through the streets of the capital.

Although their rally has been somwhat peaceful so far, many remember the Red Shirts' protests last year that turned violent.

Impact

The Association of Thai Travel Agents said international visitor arrivals fell between 20 and 30 percent in March, when the protests began.  Tourists coming from such key markets as Japan, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea cancelled their plans.

Andrew Cornelio, director of sales and marketing⁵ at the Dusit Thani Hotel, said the travel advisories⁶ from more than 30 countries also contributed to the dip in tourism.

"For the Dusit Thani we have seen many cancellations,  he said. "In terms of numbers we've lost quite a lot. Right now we have about I would say 15 to 20 percent down from what we expected to be. It's cost our first quarter figures to be below what we have budgeted for."

The tourism industry had been forecasting tourist arrivals of over 15 million for 2010. But analysts⁷ say the target is now not expected to be met. Tourism accounts for about six percent of Thailand's economy.

Arporn Chewrekrengkai, chief economist⁸ with the Government Pension Fund, has revised her optimistic outlook for tourism this year.

"This political uncertainty⁹ will definitely have a very adverse¹⁰ impact on the tourism sector¹¹," she said. "Originally I thought the tourism sector would pick up very well in the last quarter of last year. That's why in earlier forecasts we can get around 15 to 15.5 million foreign visitors. So if these kind of demonstrations continue we believe that it will hurt the remaining of this year."

But Arporn says that Thailand's overall economy will get a boost from strong export growth - up between three-point-five to four percent compared to 2009.

More confrontational¹² stance

Saturday's protest took a more confrontational stance as Red Shirt protesters demanded troops stationed close to the rally site in central Bangkok to stand down.

Security officials reported two separate grenade attacks that injure one soldier and two civilians¹³.

The protesters accuse Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of taking power through illegitimate means with the support of the military and are demanding he dissolve Parliament and call new elections. The prime minister has repeatedly rejected the calls.

Leaders of the protest movement have been portraying¹⁴ the demonstrations as a struggle between Thailand's poor, mainly rural masses and the Bangkok-based elite¹⁵.

The group largely consists of supporters of former prime minister Thaksin, who was ousted¹⁶ by a 2006 military coup¹⁷ for alleged¹⁸ corruption¹⁹, and pro-democracy activists²⁰ who opposed the army takeover.  Thaksin remains²¹ in exile in the face of corruption charges.

 

1 battering   

n.用坏，损坏v.连续猛击( batter的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• The film took a battering from critics in the US. 该影片在美国遭遇到批评家的猛烈抨击。
• He kept battering away at the door. 他接连不断地砸门。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

3 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

4 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。

5 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

6 advisories   

n.（有关进展、动向、建议等的）报告( advisory的名词复数 )；公告；通告；通报

参考例句：

• Compliance with Practice Advisories is optional. 是否遵守实务公告由审计师自行选择决定。 来自互联网
• Hardened-PHP: not as such a PHP security information website, but it does have security advisories. 增强PHP:不仅仅是一个PHP安全新的网站，它还提供安全建议。 来自互联网

7 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。

8 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。

9 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。

10 adverse   

adj.不利的；有害的；敌对的，不友好的

参考例句：

• He is adverse to going abroad.他反对出国。
• The improper use of medicine could lead to severe adverse reactions.用药不当会产生严重的不良反应。

11 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。

12 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

13 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

14 portraying   

v.画像( portray的现在分词 )；描述；描绘；描画

参考例句：

• The artist has succeeded in portraying my father to the life. 那位画家把我的父亲画得惟妙惟肖。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Ding Ling was good at portraying figures through careful and refined description of human psychology. 《莎菲女士的日记》是丁玲的成名作，曾引起强烈的社会反响。 来自汉英文学 - 中国现代小说

15 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

16 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。

17 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。

18 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

19 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。

20 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

21 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。