VOA标准英语2010-Thai Anti-Government Leaders Escape Captu

Anti-government leader Arisman Pongruangrong escapes from the hotel, being helped by others as Thai police try to arrest him in Bangkok, Thailand, 16 apr 2010

The Thai government's new offensive against anti-government protesters got off to a bad start when efforts to arrest their leaders failed. An investigation¹ is under way into the failed operation.

 

Government officials say they will investigate just how three leaders of the anti-government protests managed to escape when police tried to surround their hotel Friday.

One of the leaders climbed down three floors using a rope, and was rushed away by supporters thronging² the building.

Protest supporter Sanyiam Puy-Thong, who was outside the hotel, says he heard explosions or gunfire inside the building. "Government have the order, would like to catch our leader. That is, the government say our leader be the terrorists, then they try to catch. They try to catch our leader, stop our asking for democracy," he said.

 

Officials earlier Friday said the government is preparing to arrest people linked to clashes with security forces last Saturday that left 24 soldiers and protesters dead.

The government says armed men infiltrated³ protester ranks and fired on troops trying to disperse⁴ a rally.

The anti-government movement, led by the United Democratic Front against Dictatorship or UDD, demands that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva call fresh elections. UDD supporters have held protests in Bangkok for more than a month.

Most UDD supporters back former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted⁵ in a coup⁶ in 2006 and remains⁷ overseas to avoid a jail sentence for corruption⁸. Mr. Thaksin has strong support among the rural and urban poor, as well among some sections of the army and police.

But the anti-government rallies have led to a growing movement to support Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

On Friday several thousand pro-government supporters rallied outside an army base where Mr. Abhisit has had to work for security reasons.

Siriwan Torpradit says she wants to see a return of national unity⁹. "Red shirt...I want to stop and I want everybody, I think everybody love our Thailand and love our King. And, I want to stop for Thailand, for our King. I think everybody don't want kill. Thai people don't kill Thai people. I want [this] to stop; everybody stop and I have to. Thailand is land of smiles soon," she said.

Sunai Pasuk, the representative for Human Rights Watch in Thailand, says fears remain that there will be more clashes. "The government is now confronting a very difficult situation. On the side of the protester[s] they are so determined¹⁰ to defy the government at all costs. But the police are not doing the job they are supposed to do. That has left the government with no option but to rely on the military and that is a very dangerous situation," he said.

Thailand is facing its most severe political crisis in almost 20 years. Some parties in the governing coalition¹¹ want to set a clear time frame for elections to ease tensions. But the government says it will only call elections once the political situation has cooled.

 

1 investigation   

n.调查，调查研究

参考例句：

• In an investigation,a new fact became known, which told against him.在调查中新发现了一件对他不利的事实。
• He drew the conclusion by building on his own investigation.他根据自己的调查研究作出结论。

2 thronging   

v.成群，挤满( throng的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• Architects from around the world are thronging to Beijing theacross the capital. 来自世界各地的建筑师都蜂拥而至这座处处高楼耸立的大都市——北京。 来自互联网
• People are thronging to his new play. 人们成群结队地去看他那出新戏。 来自互联网

3 infiltrated   

adj.[医]浸润的v.（使）渗透，（指思想）渗入人的心中( infiltrate的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• The headquarters had been infiltrated by enemy spies. 总部混入了敌方特务。
• Many Chinese idioms have infiltrated into the Japanese language. 许多中国成语浸透到日语中。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》

4 disperse   

vi.使分散；使消失；vt.分散；驱散

参考例句：

• The cattle were swinging their tails to disperse the flies.那些牛甩动着尾巴驱赶苍蝇。
• The children disperse for the holidays.孩子们放假了。

5 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。

6 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。

7 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。

8 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。

9 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。

10 determined   

adj.坚定的；有决心的

参考例句：

• I have determined on going to Tibet after graduation.我已决定毕业后去西藏。
• He determined to view the rooms behind the office.他决定查看一下办公室后面的房间。

11 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。