VOA标准英语2014--In Thailand's North, Support for Ruling Party Remains Strong

In Thailand's North, Support for Ruling Party Remains¹ Strong

CHIANG MAI — In northern Thailand, millions of rural voters still strongly back the party of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. As anti-government protesters try to push her from office and postpone² the upcoming February elections, VOA spoke³ with voters in Chang Mai about the country's political crisis.

In recent months, farmers here have continued to go about their daily routines, far removed from the protests roiling⁴ Bangkok.

Many back the ruling Pheu Thai party, largely because of populist policies that they say have brought government services and income to rural areas.

But farmer San Chaivut says their support is about more than just policies, it's about sending a message to protest leaders who doubt their political judgment⁵.

“They said people in the North have no idea about law. We want the election to take place and follow a democratic system and we can show them who people in North and North East will vote for to show them that people they insulted know democracy well,” said San.

Popular political talk show radio host Mahawan Kawang says the increased political awareness⁶ at the local level has strengthened the voice of what he calls Thailand's “silent majority” - the two-thirds of the population who live in rural areas.

“In the past the people at the level of laborers⁷ were not involved in Thai politics. But now people like farmers and market vendors⁸ turn to become interested in Thai politics and rights abuses,” said Mahawan.

At Chiang Mai University's School of International Affairs, professor Kanyanattha Ittinitiwut sees few options for compromise in the political deadlock⁹ because she says it is about power, not policies.

“I think this is the fight for power, it's not democracy. It's divided because they want to be in power. Power to order, power to approve, power to give permission for the nation of Thailand,” said Kanyanattha.

 

Kanyanattha added that the ultimate solution is for opposition¹⁰ parties to move beyond their political base in Bangkok and Thailand's south, and work to woo voters there away from the dominant¹¹ Pheu Thai party. Until then, she said Thailand's political troubles will continue.

1 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。

2 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

3 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

4 roiling   

v.搅混（液体）( roil的现在分词 )；使烦恼；使不安；使生气

参考例句：

• Now, all that could be seen was the roiling, lead--coloured sea, with its thunderously heaving waves. 狂风挟着暴雨如同弥漫大雾，排挞呼号，在海上恣意奔驶。 来自汉英文学 - 现代散文
• Rather, it is a roiling, seething cauldron of evanescent particles. 相反，它是一个不断翻滚、剧烈沸腾的大锅，内有逐渐消失的粒子。 来自互联网

5 judgment   

n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见

参考例句：

• The chairman flatters himself on his judgment of people.主席自认为他审视人比别人高明。
• He's a man of excellent judgment.他眼力过人。

6 awareness   

n.意识，觉悟，懂事，明智

参考例句：

• There is a general awareness that smoking is harmful.人们普遍认识到吸烟有害健康。
• Environmental awareness has increased over the years.这些年来人们的环境意识增强了。

7 laborers   

n.体力劳动者，工人( laborer的名词复数 )；（熟练工人的）辅助工

参考例句：

• Laborers were trained to handle 50-ton compactors and giant cranes. 工人们接受操作五十吨压土机和巨型起重机的训练。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• Wage-labour rests exclusively on competition between the laborers. 雇佣劳动完全是建立在工人的自相竞争之上的。 来自英汉非文学 - 共产党宣言

8 vendors   

n.摊贩( vendor的名词复数 )；小贩；（房屋等的）卖主；卖方

参考例句：

• The vendors were gazundered at the last minute. 卖主在最后一刻被要求降低房价。
• At the same time, interface standards also benefIt'software vendors. 同时，界面标准也有利于软件开发商。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

9 deadlock   

n.僵局，僵持

参考例句：

• The negotiations reached a deadlock after two hours.两小时后，谈判陷入了僵局。
• The employers and strikers are at a deadlock over the wage.雇主和罢工者在工资问题上相持不下。

10 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

11 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。