2007年VOA标准英语-Thai Leader Says Progress Made Against Violence

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
29 August 2007

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont says some progress is being made in reducing violence in the country's southern provinces, which have been wracked by Muslim separatist violence. Mr. Surayud made the comment while calling for greater cooperation among Southeast Asian nations that have suffered from Muslim terrorism. Ron Corben reports from Bangkok.

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont (File)

Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont says he hopes the upcoming Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Australia will give attention to terrorism in states belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN.

Mr. Surayud, speaking to reporters before his departure for the September summit, says terrorism is the main security issue currently facing the region.

"ASEAN as a whole is quite concerned with the terrorism, which has become a key security issue in the region," he said.

Mr. Surayud adds that individual countries are finding it more difficult to cope with the rising tide of violence.

"We know that this kind of threat is not local - it's a globalized situation at the moment. So it depends a lot on the cooperation among various countries worldwide to cope with this threat, otherwise we will not be able to cope," said Mr. Surayud.

A separatist campaign in the largely Muslim provinces of Southern Thailand has claimed the lives of more 2,400 people since early 2004. Five were killed in a series of attacks by suspected separatists just this week, including the shooting dead of a 67-year-old construction worker and the burning of his body.

Thai Muslim girl looks at school burned down by separatists (File)

Earlier this week, the U.S.-based group Human Rights Watch reported that separatist groups in the south have vowed¹ to fight on "without any compromise" with the Thai state. The group and others say the separatists are aiming for a state independent from largely Buddhist² Thailand.

Still, Mr. Surayud says the state is making some progress against the separatists.

"On the Thai side, we already make some progress in terms of reducing the level of violence in the Southern part of the country, according to the aggressive operation on the government side," he said.

In recent months, Thai security forces have conducted sweeps across the region, making widespread arrests of alleged³ separatists and charging them with attacks on civilians⁴ and local officials, teachers and Buddhist monks⁵.

1 vowed   

起誓，发誓（vow的过去式与过去分词形式）

参考例句：

• He vowed quite solemnly that he would carry out his promise. 他非常庄严地发誓要实现他的诺言。
• I vowed to do more of the cooking myself. 我发誓自己要多动手做饭。

2 Buddhist   

adj./n.佛教的，佛教徒

参考例句：

• The old lady fell down in adoration before Buddhist images.那老太太在佛像面前顶礼膜拜。
• In the eye of the Buddhist,every worldly affair is vain.在佛教徒的眼里，人世上一切事情都是空的。

3 alleged   

a.被指控的，嫌疑的

参考例句：

• It was alleged that he had taken bribes while in office. 他被指称在任时收受贿赂。
• alleged irregularities in the election campaign 被指称竞选运动中的不正当行为

4 civilians   

平民，百姓( civilian的名词复数 )； 老百姓

参考例句：

• the bloody massacre of innocent civilians 对无辜平民的血腥屠杀
• At least 300 civilians are unaccounted for after the bombing raids. 遭轰炸袭击之后，至少有300名平民下落不明。

5 monks   

n.修道士，僧侣( monk的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The monks lived a very ascetic life. 僧侣过着很清苦的生活。
• He had been trained rigorously by the monks. 他接受过修道士的严格训练。 来自《简明英汉词典》