VOA标准英语2008年-Former Thai PM Thaksin Skips Court Appearance,

Former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has confirmed he will not return to Bangkok to face corruption² charges. The Thai courts have issued warrants for the arrest of Mr. Thaksin and his wife. Aaron Goodman in Bangkok reports.
　
Thaksin Shinawatra (File photo)

Thaksin Shinawatra said Monday that he is in Britain, and that he will not return to Thailand to meet bail³ conditions imposed by judges hearing corruption charges.

In a hand-written statement faxed to Thai television stations, the former prime minister said political interference would prevent him from getting a fair trial.

Mr. Thaksin says he and his wife will stay in Britain.

He also says that the corruption charges against them are politically motivated.

Thaksin and his wife, Pojaman, were in Beijing until Sunday for the opening of the Olympics. The court had granted them permission to travel.

Mrs. Pojaman was convicted last month of tax evasion⁴ and released on bail. They both were scheduled to appear before the Supreme⁵ Court on Monday to face other charges.

Mr. Thaksin is involved in three other court cases, and a number of investigations⁶ that may lead to charges. He denies any wrongdoing by his family.

Some political analysts⁷ think his decision to flee may have been motivated by the prospect⁸ of seeing his wife face prison. But it is unclear whether it will end the political acrimony and stalemate that has dogged the government and stock market for the past three years.

Professor Thitinan Pongsudhirak is an expert on Thai politics at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University.

"It depends on whether Thaksin's opponents, who have ousted⁹ him, and who have now put down the Thaksin challenge, are willing to adopt some of his agenda. If they are willing to bridge Thailand's social divide by income redistribution, restructure the economy and civil service, some of the good things that he did, notwithstanding the corruption allegations. If they adopt those measures and try to move Thailand forward into the 21st century, then we could see a reconciliation¹⁰ and some kind of a unity¹¹ that can allow us to move on. Otherwise the crisis will fester," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak.

Mr. Thaksin, a billionaire businessman, is a controversial figure in Thai politics. He has strong support among working-class and rural voters. However, many in Thailand's upper classes accused of him being corrupt¹ and dictatorial¹². The military forced him into exile in 2006 after months of massive protests against his government.

Last year, however, his political allies in the People Power Party won national elections. He returned to the country in March.

Since May, however, Bangkok has again seen daily protest rallies, sparked by the People Power Party's moves to amend¹³ the constitution.

 

1 corrupt   

v.贿赂，收买；adj.腐败的，贪污的

参考例句：

• The newspaper alleged the mayor's corrupt practices.那家报纸断言市长有舞弊行为。
• This judge is corrupt.这个法官贪污。

2 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。

3 bail   

v.舀（水），保释；n.保证金，保释，保释人

参考例句：

• One of the prisoner's friends offered to bail him out.犯人的一个朋友答应保释他出来。
• She has been granted conditional bail.她被准予有条件保释。

4 evasion   

n.逃避，偷漏(税)

参考例句：

• The movie star is in prison for tax evasion.那位影星因为逃税而坐牢。
• The act was passed as a safeguard against tax evasion.这项法案旨在防止逃税行为。

5 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

6 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。

7 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。

8 prospect   

n.前景，前途；景色，视野

参考例句：

• This state of things holds out a cheerful prospect.事态呈现出可喜的前景。
• The prospect became more evident.前景变得更加明朗了。

9 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。

10 reconciliation   

n.和解，和谐，一致

参考例句：

• He was taken up with the reconciliation of husband and wife.他忙于做夫妻间的调解工作。
• Their handshake appeared to be a gesture of reconciliation.他们的握手似乎是和解的表示。

11 unity   

n.团结，联合，统一；和睦，协调

参考例句：

• When we speak of unity,we do not mean unprincipled peace.所谓团结，并非一团和气。
• We must strengthen our unity in the face of powerful enemies.大敌当前，我们必须加强团结。

12 dictatorial   

adj. 独裁的，专断的

参考例句：

• Her father is very dictatorial.她父亲很专横。
• For years the nation had been under the heel of a dictatorial regime.多年来这个国家一直在独裁政权的铁蹄下。

13 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。