2006年VOA标准英语-Military Seizes Power in Thailand

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
19 September 2006

Thai soldiers on the streets of Bangkok

Thai military leaders have seized control of the capital in an apparently¹ bloodless coup². They say they acted out of loyalty³ to King Bhumipol Adulyadej. The move follows weeks of rising tensions between Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and key military personnel.

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Troops under the command of General Sondhi Boonyaratglin took up positions around Bangkok late Tuesday. Military officers said they had taken control of the government, revoked⁴ the constitution and shut down most arms of the government.

The military declared Wednesday would be a holiday, closing banks, the stock market and schools.

As the coup got under way, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, declared a state of emergency in the capital. He also ordered General Sondhi out of his post.

The coup leaders ignored Mr. Thaksin's actions, and issued a statement on television, appealing to the public to remain calm. A spokesman for the coup leaders said the military action was a result of the country's deep divisions and called on military personnel to remain in their barracks.

The official says the 1997 constitution had been canceled and the country would emerge as a democracy with King Bhumipol Adulyadej as the leader. But the Privy⁵ Council - the key advisory⁶ body to the king - and the courts would continue to function.

Mr. Thaksin canceled his planned speech before the United Nations General Assembly. It was not clear if, or when, he would be allowed to return to Thailand.

Thailand has experienced 18 coups⁷ or coup attempts since it became a constitutional monarchy⁸ in 1932 - the last time in 1991.

Tuesday's coup brought to a head rising tensions between officers supporting Sondhi and those allied⁹ with Mr. Thaksin.

Kraisak Choonhavan, a Thai senator whose father, General Chatichai Choonhavan, was ousted¹⁰ in the 1991 coup, says military intervention¹¹ had become inevitable¹². "And I think the key to understand this event is probably Mr. Thaksin wants to take out the existing military hierarchy¹³ altogether and put his men in and have total control over Thailand," he said.

Political tensions in Thailand have been rising over the past year as street demonstrations¹⁴ called for Mr. Thaksin to step aside because of allegations of abuse of power and corruption¹⁵.

The prime minister called a national election in April, but opposition¹⁶ parties boycotted¹⁷ it. The courts later nullified the vote and a new election had been tentatively set for next month. Recently, the election commission indicated the vote would be moved to November. It is not clear now when elections will be held.

Mr. Thaksin, 57, is a former police officer and a business tycoon¹⁸. He was elected prime minister the first time in 2001 and was re-elected in 2005.

Many voters were particularly angered early this year when the prime minister's family sold its stake in the telecommunications company he founded, but did not have to pay taxes on the deal, which was worth nearly $2 billion.

Some analysts¹⁹ say they expect many in the Thai urban middle class to welcome the coup.

However, Mr. Thaksin remains²⁰ very popular among poor and rural voters, who had benefited from his policies that cut costs for health care, provided greater access to low-cost loans and offered funds for rural development.

The United States says it is monitoring the situation and urged the Thai people to remain calm.

1 apparently   

adv.显然地；表面上，似乎

参考例句：

• An apparently blind alley leads suddenly into an open space.山穷水尽，豁然开朗。
• He was apparently much surprised at the news.他对那个消息显然感到十分惊异。

2 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。

3 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

4 revoked   

adj.[法]取消的v.撤销，取消，废除( revoke的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• It may be revoked if the check is later dishonoured. 以后如支票被拒绝支付，结算可以撤销。 来自辞典例句
• A will is revoked expressly. 遗嘱可以通过明示推翻。 来自辞典例句

5 privy   

adj.私用的；隐密的

参考例句：

• Only three people,including a policeman,will be privy to the facts.只会允许3个人，其中包括一名警察，了解这些内情。
• Very few of them were privy to the details of the conspiracy.他们中很少有人知道这一阴谋的详情。

6 advisory   

adj.劝告的，忠告的，顾问的，提供咨询

参考例句：

• I have worked in an advisory capacity with many hospitals.我曾在多家医院做过顾问工作。
• He was appointed to the advisory committee last month.他上个月获任命为顾问委员会委员。

7 coups   

n.意外而成功的行动( coup的名词复数 )；政变；努力办到难办的事

参考例句：

• China has seen many political coups within the ruling class. 中国统治阶级内部发生过很多政变。 来自互联网
• Thailand has had eighteen coups or coup attendance since nineteen thirty-two. 泰国1932年以来有18次政变或参加政变。 来自互联网

8 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

9 allied   

adj.协约国的；同盟国的

参考例句：

• Britain was allied with the United States many times in history.历史上英国曾多次与美国结盟。
• Allied forces sustained heavy losses in the first few weeks of the campaign.同盟国在最初几周内遭受了巨大的损失。

10 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。

11 intervention   

n.介入，干涉，干预

参考例句：

• The government's intervention in this dispute will not help.政府对这场争论的干预不会起作用。
• Many people felt he would be hostile to the idea of foreign intervention.许多人觉得他会反对外来干预。

12 inevitable   

adj.不可避免的，必然发生的

参考例句：

• Mary was wearing her inevitable large hat.玛丽戴着她总是戴的那顶大帽子。
• The defeat had inevitable consequences for British policy.战败对英国政策不可避免地产生了影响。

13 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

14 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。

15 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。

16 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。

17 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。

18 tycoon   

n.有钱有势的企业家，大亨

参考例句：

• The tycoon is on the verge of bankruptcy.那名大亨濒临破产的边缘。
• The tycoon has many servants to minister to his needs.那位大亨有很多人服侍他。

19 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。

20 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。