2006年VOA标准英语-Thais Vote in Parliamentary By-Elections,

By Scott Bobb
Bangkok
23 April 2006

Dressed up in black, women voters tear up their ballots¹ in a protest against the Thai election commission in Songkhla province, April 23, 20   
  
Voters in 40 Thai districts went to the polls Sunday in a re-run of parliamentary elections three weeks ago aimed at ending months of political confrontation² between the government and the opposition³. Security was tight in the restive⁴ south, where most of the districts are located, because of attacks by suspected Muslim separatists that have killed several officials and wounded nearly two dozen people.

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Thai voters went to the polls Sunday in an effort to complete parliamentary elections that have been rejected by the opposition.

By-elections were held in the 40 districts that failed to elect members of the lower house of parliament in the first round on April 2nd because of a boycott⁵ by the three main opposition parties.

Many voters said they planned again to cast abstention votes Sunday as part of the boycott to protest the government of Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr. Thaksin was re-elected by a landslide⁶ last year but stepped aside as prime minister after the snap elections three weeks ago.

Chulalongkorn University Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak says Sunday's polls are not likely to fill all of the vacant parliamentary seats and as a result it will be difficult for the new assembly to open as required on May 2.

"The by-elections are unlikely to solve what is shaping up to be a constitutional crisis. Basically the lower house is incomplete," he said. "Whether an incomplete lower house can convene⁷ is questionable⁸."

He says the Election Commission likely will ask the courts to rule on whether parliament can convene while it tries to hold new elections in the vacant districts.

The Thaksin government would like parliament to open in order to elect a new prime minister. Mr. Thaksin says he will not be a candidate but his party will dominate the body because of the opposition boycott.

Mr. Thaksin's party won 56 percent of the vote nationwide on April 2, but a third of the voters delivered a strong protest vote against his government by casting abstention ballots.

Elections for the Senate - the upper house of parliament - were held Wednesday with similar results to those of the lower house.

Before the April 2 elections, the opposition, which accuses the Thaksin government of corruption⁹ and misuse¹⁰ of power, held months of almost daily rallies, which it says could resume if parliament opens because of legal technicalities.

The opposition wants a neutral prime minister to be appointed to oversee¹¹ constitutional revisions and hold new elections.

1 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》

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 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。

4 restive   

adj.不安宁的，不安静的

参考例句：

• The government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive.政府未采取任何措施放松出口限制,因此国内制造商变得焦虑不安。
• The audience grew restive.观众变得不耐烦了。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 questionable   

adj.可疑的，有问题的

参考例句：

• There are still a few questionable points in the case.这个案件还有几个疑点。
• Your argument is based on a set of questionable assumptions.你的论证建立在一套有问题的假设上。

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 misuse   

n.误用，滥用；vt.误用，滥用

参考例句：

• It disturbs me profoundly that you so misuse your talents.你如此滥用自己的才能，使我深感不安。
• He was sacked for computer misuse.他因滥用计算机而被解雇了。

11 oversee   

vt.监督，管理

参考例句：

• Soldiers oversee the food handouts.士兵们看管着救济食品。
• Use a surveyor or architect to oversee and inspect the different stages of the work.请一位房产检视员或建筑师来监督并检查不同阶段的工作。