voa标准英语2008-Bangkok Airport Back in Operation, But Economic

Bangkok's international airport is returning to normal, after protesters shut it down for eight days. But business experts say the economic damage caused by the country's political crisis may linger for some time. VOA's Kate Pound Dawson reports from Bangkok.
　

Thai Airways1 planes parked at Suvarnabhumi Airport in Bangkok, 04 Dec 2008

Within a few days, cargo² and passengers should be flowing normally through Bangkok's international airport. The anti-government protesters who occupied it began leaving Wednesday, after a court barred Thailand's prime minister and his party from politics.

But business leaders in Thailand say the country's reputation has been badly damaged by the occupation, which shut traffic for eight days.

John Koldowski, an executive with the Pacific Asia Travel Association in Bangkok, says that, although tourism has been most immediately affected³, problems caused by the airport's closure spread around the country.

"I think the ripple⁴ effect is beginning to be felt now, because the freight's affected as well. So you're looking at produce that can't be shifted out of Thailand. You're looking at produce that can't come into Thailand for consumption. It's now starting to be felt right across the wider society," said Koldowski.
　

Stranded5 passengers at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok, 26 Nov 2008

Hotels struggled to accommodate stranded guests while the airport was closed. Now, they are looking ahead to see whether potential visitors have been scared away.

Porntina Tangsajjavitoon - the communications director for the Accor Group, which has 20 hotels in Bangkok - says, so far, the damage is moderate for her company, in part because their rooms stayed filled with stranded tourists. She says only a few bookings for the upcoming Christmas holiday have been canceled.

"It's not as bad as we thought. … However, the new reservations, we'll probably have to wait and see a little more. Of course, there are some cancellations as well," she said.

However, other hotels are seeing a greater number of cancellations. Some report they may see fewer than half their rooms occupied, in the coming weeks - the heart of the peak tourism season.

Business leaders worry that the damage could be long-lasting and they are concerned because it could be weeks before a new government is installed.

Dusit Nontanakorn, the vice⁶ chairman of the Thai Chamber⁷ of Commerce, says airport managers worked hard to get flights moving again, but more must be done now to help the business community, which already was suffering because of the global economic downturn.
"The private sector⁸ and the government officials really have to join hands and work together. We cannot wait until the next government will be coming in," he said.
　

Thai police man a checkpoint near the Suvarnabhumi airport compound Sunday 30 Nov. 2008 in Bangkok Thailand

There is considerable concern that Thailand's political crisis is just on hold and has not ended. Most members of parliament from the banned party have regrouped under another banner and they, along with coalition⁹ partners, still hold a majority of seats. If their choice for a new prime minister - expected next week - does not satisfy the anti-government group, protesters may well be back on the streets.

Robert Broadfoot runs Political and Economic Risk Consultancy, a Hong Kong company that assesses business risks around Asia.

"This is not the end of the crisis by any means, I don 't think. It's just moving on to the next chapter. There's still a large number of uncertainties¹⁰. And, when it comes to businesses like tourism, this is going to be a disastrous¹¹ high season," he said.

Broadfoot says it will be hard to determine just how much damage the political crisis has done to the economy, compared with the damage caused by the global slump¹². Foreign investment is likely to shrink and demand for exports will be weak, because of the worldwide financial crisis.

He says one way the Thai government can minimize the pain and help build a foundation for future economic growth is to focus on improving its infrastructure¹³, such as roads and schools.
　

Somchai Wongsawat, left, talks to reporters after court dissolves ruling party and bans him from politics, in Chiang Mai, 02 Dec 2008

"Probably the best that could happen now is if they get some sort of agreement in the political process, even if they're going to get revolving-door governments, where you can push ahead with major infrastructure and other programs, at least A., to create opportunities, and B., to create the impression that the economy's not just stuck in quicksand," he said.

Broadfoot points out one advantage to focusing on infrastructure projects is that they are not dependent on foreign investment.

The political uncertainty¹⁴ and the effects of the global economic crisis have factored into the decision by international credit rating agencies to downgrade ratings in Thailand. That means the government and businesses here will pay more to borrow money. However, Thailand's central bank may have eased some of the pain this week, when it surprised financial markets with its largest rate cut ever. The benchmark lending rate dropped a full percentage point, to 2.75 percent.

1 AIRWAYS   

航空公司

参考例句：

• The giant jets that increasingly dominate the world's airways. 越来越称雄于世界航线的巨型喷气机。
• At one point the company bought from Nippon Airways a 727 jet. 有一次公司从日本航空公司买了一架727型喷气机。

2 cargo   

n.(一只船或一架飞机运载的)货物

参考例句：

• The ship has a cargo of about 200 ton.这条船大约有200吨的货物。
• A lot of people discharged the cargo from a ship.许多人从船上卸下货物。

3 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

4 ripple   

n.涟波，涟漪，波纹，粗钢梳；vt.使...起涟漪，使起波纹； vi.呈波浪状，起伏前进

参考例句：

• The pebble made a ripple on the surface of the lake.石子在湖面上激起一个涟漪。
• The small ripple split upon the beach.小小的涟漪卷来，碎在沙滩上。

5 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

6 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。

7 chamber   

n.房间，寝室；会议厅；议院；会所

参考例句：

• For many,the dentist's surgery remains a torture chamber.对许多人来说，牙医的治疗室一直是间受刑室。
• The chamber was ablaze with light.会议厅里灯火辉煌。

8 sector   

n.部门，部分；防御地段，防区；扇形

参考例句：

• The export sector will aid the economic recovery. 出口产业将促进经济复苏。
• The enemy have attacked the British sector.敌人已进攻英国防区。

9 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。

10 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

11 disastrous   

adj.灾难性的，造成灾害的；极坏的，很糟的

参考例句：

• The heavy rainstorm caused a disastrous flood.暴雨成灾。
• Her investment had disastrous consequences.She lost everything she owned.她的投资结果很惨，血本无归。

12 slump   

n.暴跌，意气消沉，（土地）下沉；vi.猛然掉落，坍塌，大幅度下跌

参考例句：

• She is in a slump in her career.她处在事业的低谷。
• Economists are forecasting a slump.经济学家们预言将发生经济衰退。

13 infrastructure   

n.下部构造，下部组织，基础结构，基础设施

参考例句：

• We should step up the development of infrastructure for research.加强科学基础设施建设。
• We should strengthen cultural infrastructure and boost various types of popular culture.加强文化基础设施建设，发展各类群众文化。

14 uncertainty   

n.易变，靠不住，不确知，不确定的事物

参考例句：

• Her comments will add to the uncertainty of the situation.她的批评将会使局势更加不稳定。
• After six weeks of uncertainty,the strain was beginning to take its toll.6个星期的忐忑不安后，压力开始产生影响了。