VOA标准英语2014--No Sign Thailand Protests Will Abate as Economic Toll Rises 没有迹象表明泰国抗议活动会扩大经济损失

 

No Sign Thailand Protests Will Abate¹ as Economic Toll² Rises 没有迹象表明泰国抗议活动会扩大经济损失

BANGKOK — Protests against Thailand's caretaker government show no sign of waning³ now that judges have ruled authorities cannot use force to disperse⁴ them. This and other events are putting more pressure on the country's embattled caretaker government amid violence that left at least five people dead and dozens injured on Tuesday.

The latest headache for Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra - a convoy⁵ of tractors, driven by farmers who have been her core supporters - rolling towards the capital.

The farmers are angry they have not been paid for rice they sold to the government in a bungled⁶ crop-support scheme.

Meanwhile, Yingluck's primary nemesis⁷ has begun targeting businesses linked to her family.

The coalition⁸ of anti-government demonstrators are being instructed to boycott⁹ all products of the Shinawatra family empire.

Yingluck's elder billionaire brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was ousted¹⁰ as prime minister in a 2006 military coup¹¹ and faces prison for a corruption¹² conviction should he return home from self-imposed exile.

The months of sometimes deadly street protests are taking their toll on the country's economy.

Economic growth sharply dipped in the fourth quarter of last year and projections¹³ are that the political turmoil¹⁴ means a continuing slowdown for this year.

One ratings agency, Fitch, warns risks to Thailand's financial system are rising as the government scrambles¹⁵ to pay those irate¹⁶ rice farmers.

Tourists, especially those from China and Japan, have been canceling trips.

The owner of a shoe store (who identified herself only by her nickname “Pan”) said most of her customers come from Singapore and since the trouble began, she's only making about $300 worth of sales per day - half of what it used to be.

“We usually have a lot of foreign customers in this area, but with this situation we are seeing 30 to 40 percent fewer tourists,” she said.

At a nearby seafood¹⁷ restaurant, which relies on Chinese tourists, a similar complaint.

The Burmese manager (identifying himself only as “Mr. Gi”) said income has fallen from $1,700 per day to around $450 daily. 

“We're not getting a lot of customers. They are a bit afraid of the situation around here even though we've told them it is safe,” he said.

Although a civil court has now ruled authorities cannot use force to disperse demonstrators, many protestors are skeptical¹⁸ they will be unmolested.

“I don't believe they will obey the court ruling not to use force to disperse us. They will definitely find another method to make trouble for us again,” said homemaker Chollada Wireapornsawan.

There is growing concern among international observers that a prolonged standoff could cause the situation to escalate¹⁹ out of control.

 

Human Rights Watch accuses both the police and protestors of unlawful actions resulting in deaths and injuries. It warns that "impunity²⁰ for violence and rights abuses is a recipe for lawlessness and extended tit-for-tat violence.”

1 abate   

vi.(风势，疼痛等)减弱，减轻，减退

参考例句：

• We must abate the noise pollution in our city.我们必须消除我们城里的噪音污染。
• The doctor gave him some medicine to abate the powerful pain.医生给了他一些药，以减弱那剧烈的疼痛。

2 toll   

n.过路(桥)费；损失，伤亡人数；v.敲(钟)

参考例句：

• The hailstone took a heavy toll of the crops in our village last night.昨晚那场冰雹损坏了我们村的庄稼。
• The war took a heavy toll of human life.这次战争夺去了许多人的生命。

3 waning   

adj.（月亮）渐亏的，逐渐减弱或变小的n.月亏v.衰落( wane的现在分词 )；（月）亏；变小；变暗淡

参考例句：

• Her enthusiasm for the whole idea was waning rapidly. 她对整个想法的热情迅速冷淡了下来。
• The day is waning and the road is ending. 日暮途穷。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

4 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。

5 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

6 bungled   

v.搞糟，完不成( bungle的过去式和过去分词 )；笨手笨脚地做；失败；完不成

参考例句：

• They bungled the job. 他们把活儿搞糟了。
• John bungled the job. 约翰把事情搞糟了。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

7 nemesis   

n.给以报应者，复仇者，难以对付的敌手

参考例句：

• Uncritical trust is my nemesis.盲目的相信一切害了我自己。
• Inward suffering is the worst of Nemesis.内心的痛苦是最厉害的惩罚。

8 coalition   

n.结合体，同盟，结合，联合

参考例句：

• The several parties formed a coalition.这几个政党组成了政治联盟。
• Coalition forces take great care to avoid civilian casualties.联盟军队竭尽全力避免造成平民伤亡。

9 boycott   

n./v.(联合)抵制，拒绝参与

参考例句：

• We put the production under a boycott.我们联合抵制该商品。
• The boycott lasts a year until the Victoria board permitsreturn.这个抗争持续了一年直到维多利亚教育局妥协为止。

10 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。

11 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。

12 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。

13 projections   

预测( projection的名词复数 )； 投影； 投掷； 突起物

参考例句：

• Their sales projections are a total thumbsuck. 他们的销售量预测纯属估计。
• The council has revised its projections of funding requirements upwards. 地方议会调高了对资金需求的预测。

14 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

15 scrambles   

n.抢夺( scramble的名词复数 )v.快速爬行( scramble的第三人称单数 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• The breaking of symmetry scrambles the underlying order of nature. 对称性的破坏会打乱自然界的根本秩序。 来自互联网
• The move comes as Japan scrambles for ways to persuade women to have more babies. 这一行动的出现正值日本政府想尽各种办法鼓励妇女多生育孩子。 来自互联网

16 irate   

adj.发怒的，生气

参考例句：

• The irate animal made for us,coming at a full jump.那头发怒的动物以最快的速度向我们冲过来。
• We have received some irate phone calls from customers.我们接到顾客打来的一些愤怒的电话

17 seafood   

n.海产食品，海味，海鲜

参考例句：

• There's an excellent seafood restaurant near here.离这儿不远有家非常不错的海鲜馆。
• Shrimps are a popular type of seafood.小虾是比较普遍的一种海味。

18 skeptical   

adj.怀疑的，多疑的

参考例句：

• Others here are more skeptical about the chances for justice being done.这里的其他人更为怀疑正义能否得到伸张。
• Her look was skeptical and resigned.她的表情是将信将疑而又无可奈何。

19 escalate   

v.(使)逐步增长(或发展)，(使)逐步升级

参考例句：

• It would tempt Israel's neighbors to escalate their demands.它将诱使以色列的邻国不断把他们的要求升级。
• Defeat could cause one side or other to escalate the conflict.失败可能会导致其中一方将冲突升级。

20 impunity   

n.(惩罚、损失、伤害等的)免除

参考例句：

• You will not escape with impunity.你不可能逃脱惩罚。
• The impunity what compulsory insurance sets does not include escapement.交强险规定的免责范围不包括逃逸。