VOA标准英语2008年-Bangkok Braces for Demonstrations as Political

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
20 June 2008

Thai police are trying to keep anti-government protesters from entering the grounds of the prime minister's office building. As Ron Corben reports from the Thai capital, anti-government groups are escalating¹ their efforts to push Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej out of power.
　

Members of People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) scuffle with riot policemen during a protest in front of Government House in Bangkok, 20 Jun 2008

More than 8,000 police are keeping a close watch on thousands of protesters who gathered around the main government building in Bangkok on Friday.

March organizers have vowed² lay siege to the offices of Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej until he resigns. The police have warned the protesters they will not be allowed to enter the compound.

Mr. Samak heads a coalition³ government led by the People's Power Party, which is closely linked to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Mr. Shinawatra was ousted⁴ in a military coup⁵ in 2006, but remains⁶ a deeply divisive figure in Thailand.

In May, the People's Alliance for Democracy began a series of protests prompted by the government's plans to amend⁷ the constitution. The amendments⁸ could have halted corruption⁹ investigations¹⁰ of Mr. Thaksin.

The People's Alliance for Democracy also led massive demonstrations¹¹ against the Thaksin government before the coup in 2006, accusing the former leader of abuse of power and corruption.

Thepchai Yong, managing director of the Thai Public Broadcasting Service, says the country is deeply divided between those who support Mr. Thaksin and those who oppose him.

"In the past we had some figures - some respectable figures - who can intervene. But now it seems that there are two opposing forces going at each other's throat and we don't see anybody that can come between and make peace between these two forces," said Thepchai. "It's a very dangerous time, very, very dangerous."

Many political analysts¹² here say it is unlikely there will be a repeat of the 2006 military coup.

"The military will try to be neutral towards this kind of increasing conflict," said Sompob Manaragnsan, a director of the Institute of Asian Studies at Chulalongkorn University. "I don't think that they are going to intervene, if they are not going to have a serious confrontation¹³ or uncontrollable violence."

However, military commanders say the army is ready to take action if the demonstrations turn violent.

Fears of a violent confrontation have led to billions of baht being wiped off the stock exchange of Thailand in the past month. The SET index has lost more than 13 percent.

1 escalating   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的现在分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The cost of living is escalating. 生活费用在迅速上涨。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The cost of living is escalating in the country. 这个国家的生活费用在上涨。 来自辞典例句

2 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。

3 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。

4 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。

5 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。

6 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

7 amend   

vt.修改，修订，改进；n.[pl.]赔罪，赔偿

参考例句：

• The teacher advised him to amend his way of living.老师劝他改变生活方式。
• You must amend your pronunciation.你必须改正你的发音。

8 amendments   

（法律、文件的）改动( amendment的名词复数 )； 修正案； 修改； （美国宪法的）修正案

参考例句：

• The committee does not adequately consult others when drafting amendments. 委员会在起草修正案时没有充分征求他人的意见。
• Please propose amendments and addenda to the first draft of the document. 请对这个文件的初稿提出修改和补充意见。

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 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

11 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。

12 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

13 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。