VOA标准英语2010年-Political Convoy in Thailand Adds Pres

Anti-government demonstrators in Bangkok took to the streets in a massive convoy¹ to press their case for the government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to resign and call fresh elections. Many local residents supported the protest adding pressure on the six party coalition² government.

Thousands of people joined the protest convoy Saturday on motorbikes, vans and trucks that stretched up to eight kilometers along Bangkok's usually busy thoroughfares.

Bangkok residents had been warned to remain at home to avoid being caught up in the traffic congestion³.

The convoy came after a week of protests by the demonstrators, known for wearing red, who have targeted the 15-month-old government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, calling on him to dissolve the parliament and call elections.

Other protests during the week have included the pouring of blood on key goverment administrative⁴ buildings in ritual ceremonies.  

The so-called Red Shirts, led by the United Democratic Front against Dictatorship, or UDD, have the backing of the main parliamentary opposition⁵ group, the Puea Thai Party.

Protestors, such as this man, pressed the government to resign.

He said the protestors want to see a new election was the only thing that mattered to the protestors.

The UDD and Puea Thai Party are supporting former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted⁶ in a coup⁷ in 2006. They claim Mr. Abhisit's coalition government is illegitimate as it came to power after courts removed two pro-Thaksin Governments since 2007 elections.

At the rally site during the week, protest leaders and Mr. Thaksin in phone-in comments, said they were looking to challenge the existing bureaucratic⁸ elite⁹.    

But Mr. Abhisit, in recent media comments, says he will not be pressed to take the country to elections at present but is willing to hold talks with protest leaders. Representatives from both sides are due to meet Sunday.

Mr. Thaksin, who remains¹⁰ in exile in the face of a two year jail sentence for corruption¹¹, maintains support from the northern rural areas as well as among the poor and low income groups due to populist economic policies while in office.

But the urban middle class accused Mr. Thaksin of corruption and abuse of power while he was in office, especially by his government's attacks on the media and his perceived efforts to control most levers of power including the parliament, independent government agencies and security forces.

This office manager, overlooking the protests, says many people in Bangkok still do not trust Thaksin. "I don't like this - Red People; because I don't like Thaksin. Most Bangkok people they think Thaksin is very selfish. He thinks about his family only, about his business only," he said.

Other bystanders say they remain fearful if Thailand was pressed to elections and pro-Thaksin parties won it may do little to end the cycle of political tensions that have engulfed¹² the country since late 2005.

So far the protests have been largely peaceful, in contrast to anti-government demonstrations¹³ in April last year when the government was forced to enact¹⁴ security laws with the military brought in to end the unrest.
 

1 convoy   

vt.护送，护卫，护航；n.护送；护送队

参考例句：

• The convoy was snowed up on the main road.护送队被大雪困在干路上了。
• Warships will accompany the convoy across the Atlantic.战舰将护送该船队过大西洋。

2 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。

3 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

4 administrative   

adj.行政的，管理的

参考例句：

• The administrative burden must be lifted from local government.必须解除地方政府的行政负担。
• He regarded all these administrative details as beneath his notice.他认为行政管理上的这些琐事都不值一顾。

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 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。

7 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。

8 bureaucratic   

adj.官僚的，繁文缛节的

参考例句：

• The sweat of labour washed away his bureaucratic airs.劳动的汗水冲掉了他身上的官气。
• In this company you have to go through complex bureaucratic procedures just to get a new pencil.在这个公司里即使是领一支新铅笔，也必须通过繁琐的手续。

9 elite   

n.精英阶层；实力集团；adj.杰出的，卓越的

参考例句：

• The power elite inside the government is controlling foreign policy.政府内部的一群握有实权的精英控制着对外政策。
• We have a political elite in this country.我们国家有一群政治精英。

10 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。

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 engulfed   

v.吞没，包住( engulf的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• He was engulfed by a crowd of reporters. 他被一群记者团团围住。
• The little boat was engulfed by the waves. 小船被波浪吞没了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 demonstrations   

证明( demonstration的名词复数 )； 表明； 表达； 游行示威

参考例句：

• Lectures will be interspersed with practical demonstrations. 讲课中将不时插入实际示范。
• The new military government has banned strikes and demonstrations. 新的军人政府禁止罢工和示威活动。

14 enact   

vt.制定(法律)；上演，扮演

参考例句：

• The U.S. Congress has exclusive authority to enact federal legislation.美国国会是唯一有权颁布联邦法律的。
• For example,a country can enact laws and economic policies to attract foreign investment fairly quickly.例如一个国家可以很快颁布吸引外资的法令和经济政策。