VOA标准英语2010年-Thailand Cancels Curfew

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva talks during his meeting with foreign journalists at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, 29 May 2010

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva stands by his decision call in troops to end the two month long anti-government protests, that left over 80 people dead and hundreds injured.  Mr. Abhisit made the comments as the government announced a lifting of a night time curfew 10 days after a military crackdown on anti-government protestors.

 Mr. Abhisit, speaking to the international media after a briefing with foreign ambassadors, said he had sought to avoid any loss of life but was seeking to apply the law.

"I never wanted to see any loss of life, but my decision has to be based on what I feel is right for the country," said Mr. Abhisit.  "If you've got a group of people who are bent¹ on using violence and death just to achieve a political aim you should really think hard before giving in. All I wanted to do was to make sure that as government in this country can enforce the law."

Since Mid-March more than 80 people have died in clashes with the military and nearly 2,000 injured.  Of those people, 50 died between May 13 when troops moved to restrict protester until the army moved to disperse² the rally on May 19.

After the military operation ended, anti-government protesters set fire to over 40 buildings throughout the city, with costs close to $1 billion.

Mr. Abhisit says he is willing to be held to account if investigations³ found him responsible for decisions that led to the bloodshed.  Journalists at the briefing said they were told by protesters that troops in some locations had ignored government calls for strict rules of engagement in using live fire against protestors.

On Saturday, the government announced a lifting of a night time curfew in Bangkok imposed in the aftermath of the May 19 crackdown.

The red-shirt protesters began their occupation of an upscale shopping and tourist area in central Bangkok since early April calling for early elections and the government to step aside.

But a reconciliation⁴ plan in early May by Mr. Abhisit was rejected by key Red Shirt leaders after signs of initially⁵ accepting the plan.

Mr. Abhisit said he was still ready to press ahead with reconciliation efforts to overcome deep divisions in the country. He appealed to the red-shirt protesters to end violence as part of the political campaign.

But Mr. Abhisit said former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra had undermined reconciliation efforts by the government.

"The former Prime Minister has been a big obstacle to a lot of compromise and plans to reconciliation," added Mr. Abhisit.  "And I believe he will continue to be an obstacle.  The problem is if the whole country has to give into his demands which are personal interests that would allow him to be above the law is not something that this government can accept."

Mr. Thaksin, ousted⁶ in a 2006 coup⁷, has remained in exile since 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence for corruption⁸.  A Thai court recently approved a government request for an arrest warrant for Mr. Thaksin on terrorism charges, which he claims are politically motivated.

But Mr. Thaksin still commands a strong following among the Red Shirt movement in Bangkok and in the Northern provinces where he built up a political stronghold after coming to power in 2001.

Pro-Thaksin supporters have threatened to take their campaign "underground" after the crackdown.  Many Red Shirt leaders have been detained or have been submitted to questioning.  Thai intelligence officials say Red Shirt groups may be planning a violent retaliation⁹ in the north and north Eastern regions of Thailand.
 

1 bent   

n.爱好，癖好；adj.弯的；决心的，一心的

参考例句：

• He was fully bent upon the project.他一心扑在这项计划上。
• We bent over backward to help them.我们尽了最大努力帮助他们。

2 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。

3 investigations   

（正式的）调查( investigation的名词复数 )； 侦查； 科学研究； 学术研究

参考例句：

• His investigations were intensive and thorough but revealed nothing. 他进行了深入彻底的调查，但没有发现什么。
• He often sent them out to make investigations. 他常常派他们出去作调查。

4 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。

5 initially   

adv.最初，开始

参考例句：

• The ban was initially opposed by the US.这一禁令首先遭到美国的反对。
• Feathers initially developed from insect scales.羽毛最初由昆虫的翅瓣演化而来。

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 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 retaliation   

n.报复，反击

参考例句：

• retaliation against UN workers 对联合国工作人员的报复
• He never said a single word in retaliation. 他从未说过一句反击的话。 来自《简明英汉词典》