2007年VOA标准英语-Thai PM Offers to Negotiate with Exiled Former

By Ron Corben
Bangkok
16 June 2007

Thailand's military-installed prime minister, Surayud Chulanont, says he is ready to talk with his deposed¹ predecessor², Thaksin Shinawatra. The offer came after Mr. Thaksin, in a televised speech to a rally in Bangkok, said he wanted to return to Thailand to fight corruption³ charges against him and his family. Ron Corben reports from the Thai capital.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont made the offer Saturday in his weekly address to the nation. He said the government would like to discuss Mr. Thaksin's assets, and his family's activities while he was in office.

The government spokesman, Yongyuth Mayalarp, quoted Mr. Surayud as saying Mr. Thaksin would be free to raise any issues he wanted. "He is ready to have dialogue with Khun Thaksin," said Yongyuth. "In the past, it was Khun Thaksin who contacted the prime minister. So it's up to Khun Thaksin which topic he would like to talk about with the prime minister. Khun Thaksin is a Thai citizen, so he's entitled to return to Thailand as a Thai citizen whenever he likes."

Thaksin supporters rally in Bangkok (15 Jun 07)

Mr. Surayud's offer came after a pro-Thaksin rally in central Bangkok Friday evening. About 10,000 Thaksin supporters watched and cheered as a 28-minute speech by the former prime minister, recorded in his exile home in London, played on six large video screens.

Mr. Thaksin accused the junta⁴ that ousted⁵ him last September of undermining the country's reputation and economy and abusing the rule of law. He pleaded to be allowed to live freely, and with dignity.

Earlier this week, a committee established by the junta to investigate Mr. Thaksin's activities as prime minister froze 21 bank accounts, with about $1.5 billion, that are linked to his family.

Mr. Thaksin told the rally the freezing of his assets was a ploy⁶ by the junta to isolate⁷ him politically. A Thai court had earlier dissolved Mr. Thaksin's political party, Thai Rak Thai, after finding it guilty of fraud during general elections in April last year.

Mr. Thaksin's supporters say they would like him to return to try to clear his name. But the head of the military junta, Army Chief Sonthi Boonyaratglin, has said the former leader might be killed if he returned.

One of those in the crowd Friday, a 69-year-old medical practitioner⁸ who identified herself as Dr. Pat, said she would worry about Mr. Thaksin's well-being⁹. "We would all like him to come back, but we're not sure about his safety, about assassination¹⁰ - it's maybe or maybe not," she said. "But if he come back right now, it's not [safe] for him."

Another huge pro-Thaksin rally was scheduled for Saturday evening, and media reports have warned of potential violence as opposition¹¹ to the coup¹² leaders becomes more open. Abhisit Vejjajiva, the head of the Democrat¹³ Party and formerly¹⁴ Mr. Thaksin's leading opponent, said he also supports Mr. Thaksin's return, but he warned against any move to provoke social unrest. "I mean, he has a right to come back and fight his case," said Abhisit. "He can exercise his legal rights, but he should be careful not to incite¹⁵ violence."

Mr. Thaksin faces a range of corruption allegations, linked to the sale of his family's shares in a satellite and communications company, to contracts for the new $4 billion international airport, and to a land purchase from the central bank by his wife.

1 deposed   

v.罢免( depose的过去式和过去分词 )；（在法庭上）宣誓作证

参考例句：

• The president was deposed in a military coup. 总统在军事政变中被废黜。
• The head of state was deposed by the army. 国家元首被军队罢免了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 predecessor   

n.前辈，前任

参考例句：

• It will share the fate of its predecessor.它将遭受与前者同样的命运。
• The new ambassador is more mature than his predecessor.新大使比他的前任更成熟一些。

3 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。

4 junta   

n.团体；政务审议会

参考例句：

• The junta reacted violently to the perceived threat to its authority.军政府感到自身权力受威胁而进行了激烈反击。
• A military junta took control of the country.一个军政权控制了国家。

5 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。

6 ploy   

n.花招，手段

参考例句：

• I think this is just a government ploy to deceive the public.我认为这只是政府欺骗公众的手段。
• Christmas should be a time of excitement and wonder,not a cynical marketing ploy.圣诞节应该是兴奋和美妙的时刻，而不该是一种肆无忌惮的营销策略。

7 isolate   

vt.使孤立，隔离

参考例句：

• Do not isolate yourself from others.不要把自己孤立起来。
• We should never isolate ourselves from the masses.我们永远不能脱离群众。

8 practitioner   

n.实践者，从事者；(医生或律师等)开业者

参考例句：

• He is an unqualified practitioner of law.他是个无资格的律师。
• She was a medical practitioner before she entered politics.从政前她是个开业医生。

9 well-being   

n.安康，安乐，幸福

参考例句：

• He always has the well-being of the masses at heart.他总是把群众的疾苦挂在心上。
• My concern for their well-being was misunderstood as interference.我关心他们的幸福，却被误解为多管闲事。

10 assassination   

n.暗杀；暗杀事件

参考例句：

• The assassination of the president brought matters to a head.总统遭暗杀使事态到了严重关头。
• Lincoln's assassination in 1865 shocked the whole nation.1865年，林肯遇刺事件震惊全美国。

11 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。

12 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。

13 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

14 formerly   

adv.从前，以前

参考例句：

• We now enjoy these comforts of which formerly we had only heard.我们现在享受到了过去只是听说过的那些舒适条件。
• This boat was formerly used on the rivers of China.这船从前航行在中国内河里。

15 incite   

v.引起，激动，煽动

参考例句：

• I wanted to point out he was a very good speaker, and could incite a crowd.我想说明他曾是一个非常出色的演讲家，非常会调动群众的情绪。
• Just a few words will incite him into action.他只需几句话一将，就会干。