2006年VOA标准英语-Thailand Political Confrontation Eases But

By Scott Bobb
Bangkok
07 April 2006

A participant in a rally celebrates the victory in forcing Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to step down in Bangkok, Thailand, Friday, April 7, 2006  
  
In Thailand, political tensions have eased following the announcement by Thaksin Shinawatra that he was stepping down as prime minister. The announcement followed months of street protests that shook the Thaksin government and brought snap elections on April 2. However, Mr. Thaksin's departure has not ended political uncertainties¹ in the kingdom.

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Thaksin Shinawatra put a temporary end to months of anti-government protests by taking a leave of absence and saying he would not be a candidate for prime minister in the next parliament. Despite his de facto resignation the confrontation² is likely to continue between his government and the protesters, who accuse him of corruption³ and abuse of power.

Thaksin Shinawatra   
  
Mr. Thaksin's party won a majority of the vote in the April 2 snap elections, which were boycotted⁵ by the three main opposition⁶ parties. But it also received a vote of no-confidence from one-third of the voters, who cast abstention ballots⁷.

Moreover, the elections failed to fill 39 seats in parliament because ruling party candidates running unopposed in these districts did not receive 20 percent of the votes as required by law.

Chulalongkorn University Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak says a constitutional crisis is looming⁸. Because of the boycott⁴ the Election Commission may not be able to fill all the vacancies⁹ as required before parliament is to convene¹⁰ on May 1.

"It's a dilemma¹¹ for the Election Commission. If the reruns [elections] are not complete, if some constituencies still need to be rerun again, the Election Commission has 30 days to open parliament," he said. "This is going to be a constitutional challenge."

If this occurs, he believes Thailand's Constitutional Court will have to rule on the matter.

Organizers of mass street demonstrations¹² that shook the government say they will resume their protests unless Mr. Thaksin resigns as party head and quits politics altogether.

The Asia Foundation's representative in Thailand, James Klein, says this cannot happen, however, until the new parliament convenes¹³.

"At this time it's not legally possible for him to step down as caretaker prime minister," said Klein. "He's gone on leave technically¹⁴. But legally that's all he can do." He says only after parliament convenes could the opposition push for Mr. Thaksin to resign from all his positions.

Opposition parties, which are also boycotting¹⁵ the rerun elections, are not likely to recognize the new parliament or any government chosen by it.

A former Election Commission member, Gothom Arya, says a large number of voters will not accept the new parliament but nevertheless due process must be followed.

"The boycott or the non-acceptance is one thing, but what is written in the constitution is another," he said. "So the process will continue according to the constitution."

Thitinan says, however, that constitutional reform, which both sides say is needed, may be delayed by the deadlock¹⁶ over the new parliament, which the opposition views as illegitimate. "If the legislature takes the lead in revising the constitution then that will become certainly unacceptable to Thakin's opponents and to many Thais in general," he said. "This is one of the next hurdles¹⁷ we have to cross."

Thitinan says as a result the two sides may have to negotiate an agreement on how to revise the constitution, perhaps through an impartial¹⁸ commission of non-political legal experts like the panel that drafted the original document nine years ago.

Gothom says such a commission would need to address provisions that make it difficult to remove governments that have lost the people's support. "We have to look at how shall we regulate the so-called political market," he said. "Should it be very free, or moderately free, or somehow restricted? It's my opinion it's too restricted nowadays." He says in addition, regulatory bodies, like the Election Commission, must be strengthened to make them more immune from political interference. And ways must be found to guarantee individual rights already in the constitution.

Asia Foundation's James Klein says that allegations of corruption against the Thaksin government have underscored an emerging political concern.

"The major issue that has emerged over the past decade is a greater concern, particularly amongst the middle class, about the need for ethics¹⁹ in politics," he said.

Thitinan says political leaders must learn that being elected by a landslide²⁰ vote does not give them the right to engage in corruption or abuse their power.

But, he says, people need to find ways to remove governments without resorting to means outside the constitution.

"This has to be a unique occasion [event]. We cannot have this kind of overthrowing²¹ the popularly elected prime minister every time we are dissatisfied," he said.

He concludes, however, the more immediate²² challenge is to produce constitutional reform and elections that will restore legitimacy²³ and political order.

1 uncertainties   

无把握( uncertainty的名词复数 )； 不确定； 变化不定； 无把握、不确定的事物

参考例句：

• One of the uncertainties of military duty is that you never know when you might suddenly get posted away. 任军职不稳定的因素之一是你永远不知道什么时候会突然被派往它处。
• Uncertainties affecting peace and development are on the rise. 影响和平与发展的不确定因素在增加。 来自汉英非文学 - 十六大报告

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 boycotted   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Athletes from several countries boycotted the Olympic Games. 有好几国的运动员抵制奥林匹克运动会。
• The opposition party earlier boycotted the Diet agenda, demanding Miyaji's resignation. 反对党曾杯葛国会议程，要宫路下台。

6 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。

7 ballots   

n.投票表决( ballot的名词复数 )；选举；选票；投票总数v.（使）投票表决( ballot的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• They're counting the ballots. 他们正在计算选票。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The news of rigged ballots has rubbed off much of the shine of their election victory. 他们操纵选票的消息使他们在选举中获得的胜利大为减色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 looming   

n.上现蜃景（光通过低层大气发生异常折射形成的一种海市蜃楼）v.隐约出现，阴森地逼近( loom的现在分词 )；隐约出现，阴森地逼近

参考例句：

• The foothills were looming ahead through the haze. 丘陵地带透过薄雾朦胧地出现在眼前。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Then they looked up. Looming above them was Mount Proteome. 接着他们往上看，在其上隐约看到的是蛋白质组山。 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望

9 vacancies   

n.空房间( vacancy的名词复数 )；空虚；空白；空缺

参考例句：

• job vacancies 职位空缺
• The sign outside the motel said \"No Vacancies\". 汽车旅馆外的招牌显示“客满”。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 convene   

v.集合，召集，召唤，聚集，集合

参考例句：

• The Diet will convene at 3p.m. tomorrow.国会将于明天下午三点钟开会。
• Senior officials convened in October 1991 in London.1991年10月，高级官员在伦敦会齐。

11 dilemma   

n.困境，进退两难的局面

参考例句：

• I am on the horns of a dilemma about the matter.这件事使我进退两难。
• He was thrown into a dilemma.他陷入困境。

12 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。

13 convenes   

召开( convene的第三人称单数 )； 召集； （为正式会议而）聚集； 集合

参考例句：

• The Premier convenes and presides over the executive meetings and plenary meetings of the State Council. 总理召集和主持国务院常务会议和国务院全体会议。 来自汉英非文学 - 中国宪法
• Chinese woman tenth the National People Congress convenes grandly today in Beijing. 中国妇女第十次全国代表大会今天在北京隆重召开。

14 technically   

adv.专门地，技术上地

参考例句：

• Technically it is the most advanced equipment ever.从技术上说，这是最先进的设备。
• The tomato is technically a fruit,although it is eaten as a vegetable.严格地说，西红柿是一种水果，尽管它是当作蔬菜吃的。

15 boycotting   

抵制，拒绝参加( boycott的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• They're boycotting the shop because the people there are on strike. 他们抵制那家商店，因为那里的店员在罢工。
• The main opposition parties are boycotting the elections. 主要反对党都抵制此次选举。

16 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。

17 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

18 impartial   

adj.(in,to)公正的，无偏见的

参考例句：

• He gave an impartial view of the state of affairs in Ireland.他对爱尔兰的事态发表了公正的看法。
• Careers officers offer impartial advice to all pupils.就业指导员向所有学生提供公正无私的建议。

19 ethics   

n.伦理学；伦理观，道德标准

参考例句：

• The ethics of his profession don't permit him to do that.他的职业道德不允许他那样做。
• Personal ethics and professional ethics sometimes conflict.个人道德和职业道德有时会相互抵触。

20 landslide   

n.(竞选中)压倒多数的选票；一面倒的胜利

参考例句：

• Our candidate is predicated to win by a landslide.我们的候选人被预言将以绝对优势取胜。
• An electoral landslide put the Labour Party into power in 1945.1945年工党以压倒多数的胜利当选执政。

21 overthrowing   

v.打倒，推翻( overthrow的现在分词 )；使终止

参考例句：

• They succeeded in overthrowing the fascist dictatorship. 他们成功推翻了法西斯独裁统治。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• I always delight in overthrowing those kinds of schemes. 我一向喜欢戳穿人家的诡计。 来自辞典例句

22 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

23 legitimacy   

n.合法，正当

参考例句：

• The newspaper was directly challenging the government's legitimacy.报纸直接质疑政府的合法性。
• Managing from the top down,we operate with full legitimacy.我们进行由上而下的管理有充分的合法性。