VOA标准英语2010-New Groups Emerge in Support of Thai Gove

'No-color' pro-government rally in Bangkok 18 April 2010

After weeks of anti-government protests in Thailand, new groups are rising in support of the government. These new, so-called "no color" protests reflect growing unease among Bangkok residents over the rising political tensions and fears of bloodshed.

To the sound of patriotic¹ music and song thousands of pro-government supporters rallied in central Bangkok Sunday calling for a peaceful resolution to six weeks of anti-government protests.

Under a monument marking Thailand's past wars, demonstrators displayed large posters of King Bhumipol Adulyadej and waved flags.

One protester, Mrs. Kwan, came to support the monarchy². She fears for the future of the country.

"I don't like violence. See that picture? [Yes the King]. I came out for him also," she said.  "I see no end in the near future unless something really drastic happens."

These are the no-color protesters. Most are from the urban middle class, and they back Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva. They are angry at the anti-government protesters who have choked central Bangkok for nearly six weeks, demanding that Mr. Abhisit resign.

In recent years Thailand's political spectrum³ has become color-coded. The current anti-government protesters are known as the red shirts, for the clothes they wear.

The red shirts, many from poor and rural regions, support former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Their leaders want changes to Thailand's bureaucratic⁴ elites⁵ and say Mr. Abhisit's government is illegitimate because parliament voted for him, not the public.

On the other side are the yellow shirts, or the People's Alliance for Democracy, which campaigned for nearly a year against former Mr. Thaksin, until a coup⁶ ousted⁷ him in 2006.

The PAD resumed its protests in 2008 after a pro-Thaksin government won elections in 2007.  Yellow shirts occupied government buildings and besieged⁸ the country's main international airport, forcing it to close for a week. Not long afterward⁹, courts forced out two pro-Thaksin governments over election-law violations¹⁰.

On Sunday, the PAD threatened to stage its own rallies unless the government returns peace to the country.

But the no-color demonstrators say they were not directly aligned¹¹ with the PAD.

"These people are not yellow shirts. It is people who love the king," said one woman.  "Maybe some yellow shirts and pink shirts and any shirts - everybody - several shirts not yellow. I'm not yellow shirt, too."

On April 10, 24 people died in street fighting when security forces tried to clear a red shirt rally site. The army warns that it will stop any attempt to expand the protests beyond their main rally point in a major commercial district.

The army and police deployed¹² to the Bangkok's main financial district, Silom Road, Monday, in a show of force aimed at blocking at red shirt march to the area. The protesters called off the march.

Kwanravee Wangudom, a social activist¹³, fears further conflict.

"It's getting very intense after the government declared the emergency decree and there were some killings¹⁴ and people getting injured," she said.  "So there's still no way out. So I think it's getting very intense and it's going to be more complicated."

Newspapers here daily report on growing fears of more violence. Increasingly there is talk of a civil war, in part because the ranks of the military and police are divided into the red and yellow camps.

Political analysts¹⁵ say that increases the risk of violence as Thailand copes with its most severe political crisis in 18 years. 

While the country hopes calm will return, businesses and residents of Bangkok grow tired of the constant protests. Red shirts control several major roads in the heart of the city. Their rallies have caused six large shopping centers to close, have frightened off tourists at several hotels in the area and have forced traffic in a congested city to reroute around them. Losses are rising, and the government estimates that unless the protests end soon, economic growth could fall sharply.

 

1 patriotic   

adj.爱国的，有爱国心的

参考例句：

• His speech was full of patriotic sentiments.他的演说充满了爱国之情。
• The old man is a patriotic overseas Chinese.这位老人是一位爱国华侨。

2 monarchy   

n.君主，最高统治者；君主政体，君主国

参考例句：

• The monarchy in England plays an important role in British culture.英格兰的君主政体在英国文化中起重要作用。
• The power of the monarchy in Britain today is more symbolical than real.今日英国君主的权力多为象徵性的，无甚实际意义。

3 spectrum   

n.谱，光谱，频谱；范围，幅度，系列

参考例句：

• This is a kind of atomic spectrum.这是一种原子光谱。
• We have known much of the constitution of the solar spectrum.关于太阳光谱的构成，我们已了解不少。

4 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。

5 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。

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 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。

8 besieged   

包围，围困，围攻( besiege的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• Paris was besieged for four months and forced to surrender. 巴黎被围困了四个月后被迫投降。
• The community besieged the newspaper with letters about its recent editorial. 公众纷纷来信对报社新近发表的社论提出诘问，弄得报社应接不暇。

9 afterward   

adv.后来；以后

参考例句：

• Let's go to the theatre first and eat afterward. 让我们先去看戏，然后吃饭。
• Afterward,the boy became a very famous artist.后来，这男孩成为一个很有名的艺术家。

10 violations   

违反( violation的名词复数 )； 冒犯； 违反（行为、事例）； 强奸

参考例句：

• This is one of the commonest traffic violations. 这是常见的违反交通规则之例。
• These violations of the code must cease forthwith. 这些违犯法规的行为必须立即停止。

11 aligned   

adj.对齐的，均衡的

参考例句：

• Make sure the shelf is aligned with the top of the cupboard.务必使搁架与橱柜顶端对齐。

12 deployed   

（尤指军事行动）使展开( deploy的过去式和过去分词 )； 施展； 部署； 有效地利用

参考例句：

• Tanks have been deployed all along the front line. 沿整个前线已部署了坦克。
• The artillery was deployed to bear on the fort. 火炮是对着那个碉堡部署的。

13 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

14 killings   

谋杀( killing的名词复数 )； 突然发大财，暴发

参考例句：

• His statement was seen as an allusion to the recent drug-related killings. 他的声明被视为暗指最近与毒品有关的多起凶杀案。
• The government issued a statement condemning the killings. 政府发表声明谴责这些凶杀事件。

15 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。