VOA标准英语2009年-Thai PM Rejects Opposition Calls to Resign

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has rejected calls for the government to resign, as rallies against his administration moved into their second day. Analysts¹ say political tensions remain high due to increasing pressure on the government to call fresh general elections and the ouster of the three-month-old administration.
　
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva (file photo)

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Friday refused to bow to anti-government protest calls for the government to resign and open the way for fresh general elections.

The refusal by Mr. Abhisit came a day after some 35,000 protesters, most wearing the distinctive² red shirts, surrounded the government's main administration building. But the numbers had fallen away by Friday afternoon to a few thousand, although more were expected to gather later at the rally.

The protests have been led by supporters of deposed³ Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who now lives in exile after fleeing Thailand last year in the face of a court case on corruption⁴ charges.

Mr. Abhist, leading a six party coalition⁵ government, came to power last December after former coalition partners broke away from a pro-Thaksin government elected to office in 2007 after a court decision weakened the then governing party.

Sunai Pasuk, a representative in Thailand for Human Rights Watch, said the protests are viewed as a possible step by Thaksin to return to power by pressuring for fresh general elections. Thaksin remains⁶ popular among the urban poor and rural classes where he built political support through populist economic policies.

"The protests show a last attempt by Thaksin supporters to mobilize their force with a very clear aim that it's not only to overthrow⁷ the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva but to expose a very complicated network of conservative forces that put Abhisit Vejjajiva into power," said Sunai.
　
Thai protesters are seen as former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra speaks from undisclosed location abroad to addresses to his supporters outside government house in Bangkok, Thailand, 27 Mar⁸ 2009

Pro-Thaksin supporters point to the military, elites⁹ and business backing the rise to power of Mr. Abhisit and undermining the former pro-Thaksin administration. They are also calling on the government to prosecute¹⁰ leaders of the opposing People's Alliance for Democracy or PAD whose protests last year included seizure¹¹ of government house and national airports.

Pasuk says Thaksin has been presenting himself as a political martyr¹².

"Thaksin presents himself as a democratic icon¹³ that was ousted¹⁴ by undemocratic means by a military coup¹⁵ regardless of the fact that while he was in power Thaksin was known for violating all basic human rights and democratic principles," he said. "Now he is presenting himself as a martyr who vows¹⁶ to resurrect democracy in Thailand which is quite a twisted irony¹⁷."

But Chris Baker¹⁸, a commentator¹⁹ and author on Thai politics and the economy, says the rallies also reflect deep social divisions in Thai society, often split along economic lines.

"The red shirts want to make a very clear point about the lack of equity²⁰ in the [Thai] justice system," he said. "In some ways they're really are trying to say that this is not a really very equitable²¹ society."

Analysts say the rallies are also seen as trying to pressure the government to make way for amnesties that would include pro-Thaksin politicians facing bans, as well as the PAD. But Prime Minister Abhisit has ruled out legislation for national reconciliation²².

1 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。

2 distinctive   

adj.特别的，有特色的，与众不同的

参考例句：

• She has a very distinctive way of walking.她走路的样子与别人很不相同。
• This bird has several distinctive features.这个鸟具有几种突出的特征。

3 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》

4 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。

5 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。

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 overthrow   

v.推翻，打倒，颠覆；n.推翻，瓦解，颠覆

参考例句：

• After the overthrow of the government,the country was in chaos.政府被推翻后，这个国家处于混乱中。
• The overthrow of his plans left him much discouraged.他的计划的失败使得他很气馁。

8 mar   

vt.破坏，毁坏，弄糟

参考例句：

• It was not the custom for elderly people to mar the picnics with their presence.大人们照例不参加这样的野餐以免扫兴。
• Such a marriage might mar your career.这样的婚姻说不定会毁了你的一生。

9 elites   

精华( elite的名词复数 )； 精锐； 上层集团； （统称）掌权人物

参考例句：

• The elites are by their nature a factor contributing to underdevelopment. 这些上层人物天生是助长欠发达的因素。
• Elites always detest gifted and nimble outsiders. 社会名流对天赋聪明、多才多艺的局外人一向嫌恶。

10 prosecute   

vt.告发；进行；vi.告发，起诉，作检察官

参考例句：

• I am trying my best to prosecute my duties.我正在尽力履行我的职责。
• Is there enough evidence to prosecute?有没有起诉的足够证据？

11 seizure   

n.没收；占有；抵押

参考例句：

• The seizure of contraband is made by customs.那些走私品是被海关没收的。
• The courts ordered the seizure of all her property.法院下令查封她所有的财产。

12 martyr   

n.烈士，殉难者；vt.杀害，折磨，牺牲

参考例句：

• The martyr laid down his life for the cause of national independence.这位烈士是为了民族独立的事业而献身的。
• The newspaper carried the martyr's photo framed in black.报上登载了框有黑边的烈士遗像。

13 icon   

n.偶像，崇拜的对象，画像

参考例句：

• They found an icon in the monastery.他们在修道院中发现了一个圣像。
• Click on this icon to align or justify text.点击这个图标使文本排齐。

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。

16 vows   

誓言( vow的名词复数 )； 郑重宣布，许愿

参考例句：

• Matrimonial vows are to show the faithfulness of the new couple. 婚誓体现了新婚夫妇对婚姻的忠诚。
• The nun took strait vows. 那位修女立下严格的誓愿。

17 irony   

n.反语，冷嘲；具有讽刺意味的事，嘲弄

参考例句：

• She said to him with slight irony.她略带嘲讽地对他说。
• In her voice we could sense a certain tinge of irony.从她的声音里我们可以感到某种讥讽的意味。

18 baker   

n.面包师

参考例句：

• The baker bakes his bread in the bakery.面包师在面包房内烤面包。
• The baker frosted the cake with a mixture of sugar and whites of eggs.面包师在蛋糕上撒了一层白糖和蛋清的混合料。

19 commentator   

n.注释者，解说者；实况广播评论员

参考例句：

• He is a good commentator because he can get across the game.他能简单地解说这场比赛，是个好的解说者。
• The commentator made a big mistake during the live broadcast.在直播节目中评论员犯了个大错误。

20 equity   

n.公正，公平，（无固定利息的）股票

参考例句：

• They shared the work of the house with equity.他们公平地分担家务。
• To capture his equity,Murphy must either sell or refinance.要获得资产净值，墨菲必须出售或者重新融资。

21 equitable   

adj.公平的；公正的

参考例句：

• This is an equitable solution to the dispute. 这是对该项争议的公正解决。
• Paying a person what he has earned is equitable. 酬其应得,乃公平之事。

22 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。