VOA标准英语2010年-Thai Protests Prompt Hospital Evacuati

Thai protesters stormed a major hospital in Bangkok, forcing the facility to evacuate¹ patients and suspend operations Friday. Thailand's prime minister tells VOA a government reconciliation² plan is key to ending the Red Shirts' weeks-long, anti-government protests.

The Chulalongkorn Hospital in Bangkok evacuated³ patients and stopped all procedures Friday after about 100 Red Shirt protesters stormed the facility late Thursday.

The anti-government protesters rushed into the hospital looking for troops believed to be hiding in the building. They withdrew after failing to find any soldiers, and a Red shirt leader later apologized saying the hospital raid was inappropriate.

The Red Shirts have staged protests for seven weeks, virtually paralyzing the capital.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told VOA a government reconciliation plan is key to ending the protests. He said the government backs political and security solutions aimed at easing tensions.

"As far as the political issues are concerned the government is about to complete some kind of roadmap which we think is necessary for the country to achieve reconciliation," Mr. Abhisit said. "On security issues we continue to need to enforce the law and therefore the operations of police, the army must continue."

The government has not released details of the reconciliation plan, but government sources said it centers on a 'political solution'.

The Red Shirts are made up mostly of the rural poor and urban working class and support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. They say Mr. Abhisit was installed in office illegally, and are demanding that he call new elections.

Their political rivals, the Yellow Shirts, support Thailand's monarchy⁴.

Thousands of police and army troops are now deployed⁵ in the central commercial area of Bangkok, known as Rajaprasong.

Mr. Abhisit said the government would apply pressure on those breaking the law. But the prime minister gave no details on when and if security forces will move against them.

"We will do our best to achieve a quick resolution but I think people can see more and more clearly how complicated the issue is – particularly with the  network of people in parliament, in the demonstrations⁶, people engaged in terrorist activities, intimidation," said Prime Minister Abhisit. 

The Red Shirt protesters have constructed barricades⁷ in the event of a military crackdown and are largely armed with sharpened bamboo sticks, sling⁸ shots and stones.

The protests, which began peacefully, have killed 27 people and wounded nearly 1,000 since they began.
 

1 evacuate   

v.遣送；搬空；抽出；排泄；大(小)便

参考例句：

• We must evacuate those soldiers at once!我们必须立即撤出这些士兵！
• They were planning to evacuate the seventy American officials still in the country.他们正计划转移仍滞留在该国的70名美国官员。

2 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

3 evacuated   

撤退者的

参考例句：

• Police evacuated nearby buildings. 警方已将附近大楼的居民疏散。
• The fireman evacuated the guests from the burning hotel. 消防队员把客人们从燃烧着的旅馆中撤出来。

4 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

5 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

6 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。

7 barricades   

路障，障碍物( barricade的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The police stormed the barricades the demonstrators had put up. 警察冲破了示威者筑起的街垒。
• Others died young, in prison or on the barricades. 另一些人年轻时就死在监牢里或街垒旁。

8 sling   

vt.扔；悬挂；n.挂带；吊索，吊兜；弹弓

参考例句：

• The boy discharged a stone from a sling.这个男孩用弹弓射石头。
• By using a hoist the movers were able to sling the piano to the third floor.搬运工人用吊车才把钢琴吊到3楼。