VOA标准英语2008年-Thai Army Chief Says Force Will Not Be Used Aga

Thailand's army chief vows¹ the military will not use force against protesters in Bangkok. As Ron Corben reports from Bangkok, his comments follow a state of emergency declared by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej.
　
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej gestures during a news conference on imposing² of the state of emergency in Bangkok, 02 Sep 2008

Prime Minister Samak Sandaravej imposed the state of emergency after pro- and anti-government protesters clashed overnight, leaving at least one dead and dozens wounded.

The People's Alliance for Democracy has led thousands of people to surround the main government buildings in Bangkok for a week. The group demands that Mr. Samak step down.
　
Gen. Anupong Paochinda speaks during a news conference at army hall in Bangkok, 02 Sep 2008

Four hundred soldiers were called after the clash to support police efforts to end the protests. The head of the Thai Army, General Anupong Paochinda, says he wants to avoid violence.

The general says he will not have the soldiers carry weapons or use bullet-proof vests. He says they will not use force to harm the protesters.

Despite the reassurance³, many in Thailand recall 1992, when the Army violently suppressed pro-democracy protests. Scores of people were killed and about 600 wounded. And just two years ago, the military ousted⁴ Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra after months of protests by the same group opposing Mr. Samak.

Mr. Samak, who was elected last December, says the emergency decree will be in place for three days. It bans gatherings⁵ of more than five people, bars news reports that might damage stability and allows security forces to block access to buildings.

Public schools have been closed for the next few days. Aside from the area around the government offices, Bangkok was calm and local train services and buses operated normally.
　
A pro-government demonstrator armed with knife is tackled by club wielding⁶ anti-government protesters during a clash in Bangkok, Thailand, 02 Sep 2008

Buranaj Samitharak is a spokesman of the Democrat⁷ Party, which supports the People's Alliance for Democracy. He accuses the government of being behind the overnight clashes.

"Beginning of two days ago [the government] chose to crackdown on the peaceful demonstrations," said Buranaj. [But] Mr. Samak reiterated⁹ his hardline stance, resulting in many people in the governing coalition¹⁰ party setting up an assembly of people to counter the People's Alliance for Democracy. This escalated¹¹ into clashes this morning."

Courts have ordered the People's Alliance for Democracy to end the protests, but the group's leaders have encouraged an estimated 5,000 supporters to continue the demonstration⁸.

They accuse Mr. Samak of acting¹² for former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who recently fled to Britain to avoid corruption¹³ charges. He says he is innocent and accuses the Thai judiciary of bias¹⁴.

Nearly five months of protests have helped sink stock prices, with Thailand's main share index down more than 23 percent. During the past few days, protesters have closed airports in tourist areas, leading thousands of travelers stranded¹⁵. Union leaders are threatening to cut utilities to government buildings and to curtail¹⁶ Bangkok's bus service on Wednesday.

Concerns are growing the turmoil¹⁷ will hurt the economy. An economist¹⁸ at Chulalongkorn University, Sompop Manarangsan, says many business people think Mr. Samak should stand down.

"Quite some of them [in the business community] have asked the head of the government to sacrifice [his position] for the sake of the country or the dissolution of the parliament may be the better way," he said.

The national election commission voted to ask Thailand's constitutional court to dissolve Mr. Samak's People Power Party. The commission alleges¹⁹ that a party leader bought votes in last year's national election. It is not clear if the court will dissolve the party.

 

1 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。

2 imposing   

adj.使人难忘的，壮丽的，堂皇的，雄伟的

参考例句：

• The fortress is an imposing building.这座城堡是一座宏伟的建筑。
• He has lost his imposing appearance.他已失去堂堂仪表。

3 reassurance   

n.使放心，使消除疑虑

参考例句：

• He drew reassurance from the enthusiastic applause.热烈的掌声使他获得了信心。
• Reassurance is especially critical when it comes to military activities.消除疑虑在军事活动方面尤为关键。

4 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。

5 gatherings   

聚集( gathering的名词复数 )； 收集； 采集； 搜集

参考例句：

• His conduct at social gatherings created a lot of comment. 他在社交聚会上的表现引起许多闲话。
• During one of these gatherings a pupil caught stealing. 有一次，其中一名弟子偷窃被抓住。

6 wielding   

手持着使用（武器、工具等）( wield的现在分词 )； 具有； 运用（权力）； 施加（影响）

参考例句：

• The rebels were wielding sticks of dynamite. 叛乱分子舞动着棒状炸药。
• He is wielding a knife. 他在挥舞着一把刀。

7 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。

8 demonstration   

n.表明，示范，论证，示威

参考例句：

• His new book is a demonstration of his patriotism.他写的新书是他的爱国精神的证明。
• He gave a demonstration of the new technique then and there.他当场表演了这种新的操作方法。

9 reiterated   

反复地说，重申( reiterate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• "Well, I want to know about it,'she reiterated. “嗯，我一定要知道你的休假日期，"她重复说。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹
• Some twenty-two years later President Polk reiterated and elaborated upon these principles. 大约二十二年之后，波尔克总统重申这些原则并且刻意阐释一番。

10 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。

11 escalated   

v.（使）逐步升级( escalate的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）逐步扩大；（使）更高；（使）更大

参考例句：

• The fighting escalated into a full-scale war. 这场交战逐步扩大为全面战争。
• The demonstration escalated into a pitched battle with the police. 示威逐步升级，演变成了一场同警察的混战。

12 acting   

n.演戏，行为，假装；adj.代理的，临时的，演出用的

参考例句：

• Ignore her,she's just acting.别理她，她只是假装的。
• During the seventies,her acting career was in eclipse.在七十年代，她的表演生涯黯然失色。

13 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。

14 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。

15 stranded   

a.搁浅的，进退两难的

参考例句：

• He was stranded in a strange city without money. 他流落在一个陌生的城市里， 身无分文，一筹莫展。
• I was stranded in the strange town without money or friends. 我困在那陌生的城市，既没有钱，又没有朋友。

16 curtail   

vt.截短，缩短；削减

参考例句：

• The government hopes to curtail public spending.政府希望缩减公共事业开支。
• The minister had to curtail his visit.部长不得不缩短访问日期。

17 turmoil   

n.骚乱，混乱，动乱

参考例句：

• His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
• The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。

18 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。

19 alleges   

断言，宣称，辩解( allege的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• The newspaper article alleges that the mayor is corrupt. 报纸上断言该市长腐败。
• Steven was tardy this morning and alleges that his bus was late. 史提芬今天早上迟到的说词是公车误点了。