VOA标准英语2010-At Least 10 Killed, More than 500 Wounded

Ron Corben | Bangkok 10 April 2010

An anti-government demonstrator wields¹ stick against soldiers and police during a clash in Bangkok, Thailand, 10 Apr 2010

Thai security forces have launched a major crackdown against anti-government protesters in a bid to end ongoing² demonstrations⁴. At least ten people were killed and more than 500 people have been injured as protesters prepare to fight against efforts to disperse⁵ them from rally sites.

 

Clashes between hundreds of Thai security forces and anti-government demonstrators Saturday led to scores injured as Thai government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejajjiva pushed to end month long demonstrations in the capital Bangkok.

The protests, led by the United Democratic Front against Dictatorship, or UDD, have called for the government to resign and hold new elections. But Mr. Abhisit has resisted despite coming increasing pressure from tens of thousands of protestors and has offered to hold elections in nine months.

Tensions in recent days have escalated⁶ after protesters stormed an election commission office and the national parliament building. The government declared a state of emergency. It allows it wide powers in crowd control and controls over the media.

Troops Saturday moved to clear protesters at Phan Fa Le Ha Bridge, where the rallies began on March 12. Clashes were continuing into the early evening.  Official sources said injuries from the clashes were mostly protesters as well as soldiers and the police. The army said it may use rubber bullets and water cannon⁷.

Thai government spokesman, Panitan Wattanaygorn, said the crackdown was aimed at returning the city to 'normal' after the month long protests.

"We realize that this is the political demonstration³ and people may feel they have rights to demonstrate. Although it is very clear from the court order and from the public's view that these demonstrations are not peaceful and they need to be put under the law and order," he said.

UDD leaders had been anticipating a crackdown by authorities after the government declared a state of emergency Wednesday.

UDD protesters, who wear red and are known as red shirts, are supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted⁸ in a coup⁹ in 2006. He lives overseas to avoid a prison sentence on corruption¹⁰ charges. But many protestors also say they are demonstrating against inequities within Thai society.

Protesters at another rally site within the commercial retail¹¹ district that has lost millions of dollars in lost revenues, by mid-Saturday evening were awaiting security forces to move against them. But protestors remained defiant¹². There were also signs of police in full riot gear pulling back from red shirt protest lines.  

UDD spokesman, Sean Boonpracong, says the government's strategy would fail to end calls for new elections. The UDD accuse Mr. Abhisit's 16-month-old government of being backed by the military.

"The people may not survive today but they'll be back under a new leadership if they decapitate the current one. And I think it's really unfortunate that Abhisit Vejjajiva to this method [of crackdown]," he said.

The Thai criminal court has issued arrest warrants for over 30 of the UDD leadership.

Also Saturday 30 UDD protestors marched to the U.S. Embassy calling on the U.S. government to send a fact-finding mission to determine whether the Thai government has violated human rights.

Mr. Abhisit is facing the most severe crisis since red shirt protests last year led to the cancellation¹³ of an Asian leaders' summit after protesters invaded a conference center. Troops then had also been called into the capital to quell¹⁴ street violence and civil disobedience.

 

1 wields   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的第三人称单数 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• She wields enormous power within the party. 她操纵着党内大权。
• He remains chairman, but wields little power at the company. 他还是主席，但在公司没有什么实权了。

2 ongoing   

adj.进行中的，前进的

参考例句：

• The problem is ongoing.这个问题尚未解决。
• The issues raised in the report relate directly to Age Concern's ongoing work in this area.报告中提出的问题与“关心老人”组织在这方面正在做的工作有直接的关系。

3 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。

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 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

6 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。

7 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

8 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。

9 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。

10 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。

11 retail   

v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格

参考例句：

• In this shop they retail tobacco and sweets.这家铺子零售香烟和糖果。
• These shoes retail at 10 yuan a pair.这些鞋子零卖10元一双。

12 defiant   

adj.无礼的，挑战的

参考例句：

• With a last defiant gesture,they sang a revolutionary song as they were led away to prison.他们被带走投入监狱时，仍以最后的反抗姿态唱起了一支革命歌曲。
• He assumed a defiant attitude toward his employer.他对雇主采取挑衅的态度。

13 cancellation   

n.删除，取消

参考例句：

• Heavy seas can cause cancellation of ferry services.海上风浪太大，可能须要取消渡轮服务。
• Her cancellation of her trip to Paris upset our plan.她取消了巴黎之行打乱了我们的计划。

14 quell   

v.压制，平息，减轻

参考例句：

• Soldiers were sent in to quell the riots.士兵们被派去平息骚乱。
• The armed force had to be called out to quell violence.不得不出动军队来镇压暴力行动。