VOA标准英语2008年-Samak Bid to Remain Thai Prime Minister Ends Af

Samak Sundaravej's term as Thailand's prime minister appears to be ending, after coalition¹ parties boycotted² a parliamentary session to vote on his re-election. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, Mr. Samak also lost support from members of his own party.
　

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, center, is surrounded by security guards and reporters as he leaves parliament, 12 Sep 2008

Late Friday afternoon news reports said Samak Sundaravej dropped his bid to be re-elected prime minister.

Earlier in the day, five coalition parties withdrew their support for him, and at least 70 members of his People Power Party also defected.

The parliamentary session to re-elect Mr. Samak Sundaravej earlier Friday lasted less than half an hour. House Speaker Chai Chidchob abruptly³ adjourned⁴ the meeting.

The speaker said that, because there are not enough members present, the vote will be delayed.

A new vote will take place next Wednesday.

The PPP had sought to re-elect Mr. Samak, after a constitutional court this week ruled he had to resign because he had violated conflict of interest rules.

Protesters demanding Mr. Samak's resignation have been camped on the grounds of the government's main administration building since late August.

Kraisak Choonhavan, a parliament member from the opposition⁵ Democrat⁶ Party, says protesters will wait to see who the PPP selects as its next candidate.

"Things are in a bit of confusion for the time being, and it all boils down to the fact that the conflict is within the PPP - that is the result of a failed session this morning at the parliament," Kraisak said.

Sompop Manarangsan, an economist⁷ at Chulalongkorn University, says many Thais want a candidate who is less confrontational⁸ than Mr. Samak.

"It's rather stubborn to repropose Mr. Samak to be prime minister, because, given the continuing conflict that has been taking place here for several months, there should have some new change that is acceptable among the people, particularly the people in the more educated areas - like in the urban areas," Sompop said.

The business community and other community leaders urged the PPP to select someone other than Mr. Samak. The Thai economy, especially tourism, has been hit by the political tension.
　

Deposed9 Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his wife Pojaman Shinawatra arrive at criminal court in Bangkok, 31 Jul 2008

Anti-government protesters say the PPP acts for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who fled to Britain last month during a corruption¹¹ trial. Mr. Thaksin says he is innocent and accuses the judiciary of bias¹². News reports say he had urged the PPP back Mr. Samak.

Thai politics have been deeply divided since Mr. Thaksin was elected in 2001. His policies of aiding farmers and providing low-cost health care won the support of urban working class and many in the rural regions. Those same voters now back Mr. Samak.

But the urban middle class accuses Mr. Thaksin of being authoritarian¹³ and corrupt¹⁰. He was ousted¹⁴ in a coup¹⁵ in September 2006.

1 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。

2 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。

3 abruptly   

adv.突然地，出其不意地

参考例句：

• He gestured abruptly for Virginia to get in the car.他粗鲁地示意弗吉尼亚上车。
• I was abruptly notified that a half-hour speech was expected of me.我突然被通知要讲半个小时的话。

4 adjourned   

（使）休会， （使）休庭( adjourn的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The court adjourned for lunch. 午餐时间法庭休庭。
• The trial was adjourned following the presentation of new evidence to the court. 新证据呈到庭上后，审讯就宣告暂停。

5 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。

6 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。

7 economist   

n.经济学家，经济专家，节俭的人

参考例句：

• He cast a professional economist's eyes on the problem.他以经济学行家的眼光审视这个问题。
• He's an economist who thinks he knows all the answers.他是个经济学家，自以为什么都懂。

8 confrontational   

adj.挑衅的；对抗的

参考例句：

• Fans love rappers partly because they strike such a confrontational pose. 乐迷热爱这些饶舌艺人一定程度上是因为他们所采取的那种战斗姿态。 来自互联网
• You prefer a non confrontational approach when it comes to resolving disputes. 面对争端，你不喜欢采用对抗性的手段来解决。 来自互联网

9 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》

10 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。

11 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。

12 bias   

n.偏见，偏心，偏袒；vt.使有偏见

参考例句：

• They are accusing the teacher of political bias in his marking.他们在指控那名教师打分数有政治偏见。
• He had a bias toward the plan.他对这项计划有偏见。

13 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。

14 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。

15 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。