Brunei “deal” or “rumour”? | Bangkok Post: learning

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Yingluck took time off yesterday from campaigning yesterday to deny her party had reached a deal with the military, saying it was just a rumour.

Yingluck Shinawatra has been campaigning non-stop this week, including a train journey in the Northeast, while rumours emerged that her party had reached a deal with the military.

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The “Brunei deal”

The Asia Times Online newspaper had a bit of a scoop Wednesday when reporter Shawn Crispin gave details of a possible post-election arrangement between the military and the Phue Thai party that had been the subject of rumours here for some time.

The story reported that Wattana Muangsuk, a list candidate of the Pheu Thai Party and former commerce minister in the Thai Rak Thai government, had taken Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon to Brunei to make a deal.

The so-called “Brunei deal” would allow Pheu Thai to form a government in exchange for an agreement to refrain from taking legal action against army commanders involved in the bloody crackdown on the anti-government red-shirt protesters in April and May last year. 

The Asia Times Online story said Pheu Thai had also agreed not to interfere with the military annual reshuffle in September and that Thaksin must direct those of his supporters who had attacked the high institution to stop doing so.

Mr Wattana was quick to deny the report, calling it baseless. He insisted that he had not gone to Brunei with Gen Prawit as was reported. He admitted, however, that he had made trips to Brunei to visit Thaksin because he was a cabinet member in his former government. Gen Prawit has thus far remained silent.

Meanwhile Pheu Thai's top list candidate Yingluck Shinawatra yesterday morning brushed aside the reports of a "Brunei deal", saying it was just a rumour.

Crispin, however, sees Ms Yingluck’s emphasis on reconciliation during her campaign as evidence that some kind of deal has been reached. He also cites UDD leader Thida Thavornseth's recent public pledges of allegiance to the constitutional monarchy and the failure of the red-shirt leadership to rally around jailed UDD co-leader and Puea Thai party list politician Jatuporn Prompan who was detained after making comments perceived as critical of the royal family during a UDD rally in April.
 
Adapted from an online story on bangkokpost.com.

campaign – a planned series of activities designed to persuade voters to vote for a particular candidate or political party การรณรงค์หาสียง
rumour – a piece of information, or a story, that people talk about, but that may not be true ข่าวลือ
emerge – to appear ปรากฏออกมา
deal – a formal agreement, especially in politics or business ข้อตกลง, การตกลงซื้อขาย
scoop – a piece of important or exciting news that is printed in one newspaper before other newspapers know about it  ข่าวเด่น, สกู๊ปข่าว
details – small facts or pieces of information relating to a situation รายละเอียด
post- –after
arrangement – a plan or preparation that you make so that something can happen; an agreement that you make with somebody that you can both accept  การจัดการ, ข้อตกลง
(party) list (proportional representation system) – a system that gives each party in an election a number of seats in relation to the number of votes its candidates receive ระบบสัดส่วน, ระบบปาร์ตี้ลิสต์
so-called – said to be something but which may not be true ที่เป็นที่รู้กัน (ซึ่งบางครั้งอาจไม่เป็นจริงก็ได้)
candidate – a person who is trying to be elected ผู้สมัครรับเลือกตั้ง
in exchange for – giving something to someone and receiving something else from them of a similar type or value แลกเปลี่ยน
refrain – to stop yourself from doing something ระงับ เลิก
legal – relating to the law or lawyers เกี่ยวกับกฎหมาย
commander – a police offer of high rank ผู้บังคับบัญชา
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
crackdown – strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity การใช้กำลังเข้าปราบปรามของเจ้าหน้าที่
protester – someone who shows that they disagree with something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs, etc  ผู้ต่อต้าน, ผู้ประท้วง
interfere – to deliberately become involved in a situation and try to influence the way that it develops, although you have no right to do this  แทรกแซง
annual – happening once a year ประจำปี
reshuffle – the process of changing the jobs or responsibilities of people in a particular group or organisation การปรับหรือโยกย้ายตำแหน่งคนในองค์กร
high institution (royal institution) – the monarchy ระบอบประชาธิปไตยอันมีพระมหากษัตริย์เป็นประมุข
deny – to say that something is not true or does not exist ปฏิเสธ
baseless – groundless; based on no good reasons or facts ไม่มีมูลความจริง
insist – to keep saying very firmly that something is true ยืนกราน ยืนยัน
admit – to agree that something is true, especially when you are unhappy, sorry or surprised about it  ยอมรับ
cabinet minister – a member of the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
silent – very quiet; without sound เงียบ
brush aside – to refuse to accept that something is important or true
emphasis – special importance or attention that is given to one thing in particular การเน้นย้ำ
reconciliation – a new and friendly relationship with someone who you argued with or fought with การทำให้ปรองดองกันอีก,  การสมานฉันท์
evidence – facts statements or objects that help to prove whether or not something is true หลักฐาน
cite – to mention something as an example กล่าวถึง
public – open to people in general; intended to be seen or heard by people in general อย่างเปิดเผยให้รู้
pledge –a serious promise สัญญา
allegiance – strong loyalty to a person, group, idea or country ความจงรักภักดี
constitutional monarchy – a system in which a country is governed by a king or queen whose are limited to those given under the constitution and laws of the country ระบอบประชาธิปไตยที่มีพระมหากษัตริย์เป็นประมุข
rally around – to support someone, especially in difficult times  ให้การสนับสนุน
detained – kept in a place and not allowed to leave กักตัว ควบคุมตัวหรือฝากขัง
comment – expressing an opinion แสดงความคิดเห็น
perceived – thought of or understood in a particular way ได้รับการมองว่า
critical – saying that someone or something is bad or wrong ที่ชอบจับผิด
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม

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