VOA标准英语2010年-Thailand's Political Crisis Edges Towa

Anti-government demonstrators cheer during a speech at a rally in Bangkok, Thailand, 04 May 2010

Thailand's political crisis has moved toward resolution, after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva presented a national reconciliation¹ plan welcomed by anti-government opponents.  The plan centers on national elections this year, as well as social and economic reforms.

Thailand's seven-week political crisis moved toward resolution as anti-government protest leaders lent conditional² support to a national reconciliation plan from Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The development may avert³ potential violence in Thailand.  The government recently threatened to clear commercial and retail⁴ areas in the capital Bangkok where the so-called Red Shirt protesters have been camped out since early April. 

The protests, led by the United Democratic Front Against Dictatorship, have been held in support of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.  The Red Shirts aimed to pressure the government to resign and hold early elections, saying their goal was greater democracy in the country.

Mr. Vejjajiva's reconciliation plan calls for holding parliamentary elections on November 14, about a year ahead of schedule.  The prime minister's proposal is offered on the condition that protesters agree to a five-point reconciliation process.

UDD spokesman Sean Boonpracong said his group thinks the plan is a good start. "We welcome this framework," he said.  "I think if Mr. Abhisit would like to see no more body counts within a framework of peace step-by-step negotiation⁵, I think it is a good direction.  [But] a time frame in terms of an election is a little bit too long from our standpoint."

Support for the protests comes mostly from the rural and urban poor and working class, who support Mr. Thaksin's populist economic polices.  The prime minister was ousted⁶ in a coup⁷ in 2006 and fled to Thailand in 2008, evading⁸ a two-year jail term for corruption⁹. 

UDD sources told VOA, Mr. Thaksin backs the reconciliation plan.

On Monday, Mr. Abhisit set out the plans' details in a televised address to the nation and later in an address to Parliament.

Mr. Abhisit said the plan included protection of the monarchy¹⁰, amendments¹¹ to the constitution, an independent committee to investigate violence that killed 27 people and wounded several hundred other people - both civilian¹² and military.

But growing acts of civil disobedience, including the uncovering of weapons held by Red Shirt supporters, raised fears a government crackdown on the demonstrators could lead to further bloodshed.  Mr. Abhisit told journalists the government is determined¹³ to clear the protest area in the days ahead. 

Chulalongkorn University economist¹⁴ Somphob Manarangsan says the moves to end the protests mark a major step to easing social tensions.

"If the Red Shirts accept, it is good news for Thailand because it can get the breakthrough," he said. "Because we are quite afraid of the catastrophic confrontation¹⁵ that is quite likely to take place if the events are going on."

The plan had received support from academics, rights groups and the business sector¹⁶ with the Thai stock market climbing 30 points amid signs of easing tensions.  Armed forces and police have been out in large numbers patrolling Bangkok's center, where the protest rallies have shut down hundreds of retail stores, leaving people out of work and businesses with millions of dollars in losses.

The government has prepared a special budget to assist employees and businesses hardest hit by the closures and protests. 

The protests, the most severe in 20 years, revealed deep social divisions that international commentators¹⁷ such as Human Rights Watch said bordered on a potential civil war.

 

1 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。

2 conditional   

adj.条件的，带有条件的

参考例句：

• My agreement is conditional on your help.你肯帮助我才同意。
• There are two forms of most-favored-nation treatment:conditional and unconditional.最惠国待遇有两种形式:有条件的和无条件的。

3 avert   

v.防止，避免；转移(目光、注意力等)

参考例句：

• He managed to avert suspicion.他设法避嫌。
• I would do what I could to avert it.我会尽力去避免发生这种情况。

4 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。

5 negotiation   

n.谈判，协商

参考例句：

• They closed the deal in sugar after a week of negotiation.经过一星期的谈判，他们的食糖生意成交了。
• The negotiation dragged on until July.谈判一直拖到7月份。

6 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。

7 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。

8 evading   

逃避( evade的现在分词 )； 避开； 回避； 想不出

参考例句：

• Segmentation of a project is one means of evading NEPA. 把某一工程进行分割，是回避《国家环境政策法》的一种手段。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法
• Too many companies, she says, are evading the issue. 她说太多公司都在回避这个问题。

9 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。

10 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。

11 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

12 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

13 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

14 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。

15 confrontation   

n.对抗，对峙，冲突

参考例句：

• We can't risk another confrontation with the union.我们不能冒再次同工会对抗的危险。
• After years of confrontation,they finally have achieved a modus vivendi.在对抗很长时间后，他们最后达成安宁生存的非正式协议。

16 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。

17 commentators   

n.评论员( commentator的名词复数 )；时事评论员；注释者；实况广播员

参考例句：

• Sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 体育解说员翻来覆去说着同样的词语，真叫人腻烦。
• Television sports commentators repeat the same phrases ad nauseam. 电视体育解说员说来说去就是那么几句话，令人厌烦。 来自《简明英汉词典》