Vocabulary by topic

The ongoing political conflict has been a daily topic in the Bangkok Post for the past several years and there is a whole set of vocabulary that we have seen again and again.

United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leader Jatuporn Prompan holds a news conference to announce plans for a major UDD campaign across the country starting on March 12 and culminating in a mass demonstration in Bangkok on March 14. The pro-Thaksin group hopes to mobilise one million people for the campaign. THITI WANNAMONTHA

Here in Thailand over the past five years or so we have seen one political crisis after another. Protests, both peaceful and violent have become common. The political conflict has been a daily topic in the Bangkok Post and there is a whole set of vocabulary that we have seen again and again. In the article below, you will learn much of it.

The article, indicately is the first chapter of my latest book Clashing colours: Thailand's political crisis 2005-2010. You can find out more about it here: http://bit.ly/aOPmEa

Click button to listen to Conflict vocab and rightclick to download

The vocabulary of political conflict

Many people believe Thailand’s political crisis started when the military seized power in the September 2006 coup d’etat. That was certainly true of the core leaders of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) who began their resistance shortly after the military takeover. The coup, they believed, unfairly ousted a democratically-elected government and prime minister, tore up the country’s best-ever constitution and had it replaced with a charter designed to keep the elite bureaucrats in power. Their goal became to resist the coup, reverse the anti-democratic changes and bring democracy – and the former prime minister – back to power.

The UDD’s rivals, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) had a very different view of events. The coup, they said, rid the country of a corrupt prime minister who was a danger to Thailand’s monarchy. The deposed prime minister abused his power to enrich his family’s businesses, a view they believed was confirmed when his assets were later frozen and finally seized. Their goal was to make sure the former prime minister would never return and to oppose any government set up to allow that to happen.

Both sides made heavy use of organised protests, including mass rallies (or demonstrations) with tens of thousands of protestors (demonstrators) occupying key areas of Bangkok to pressure those in authority to bow to their demands. Their rally sites (venues) were complete with large stages for fiery speeches urging their supporters to continue the fight and surrounded by tent cities where supporters could stay around the clock.

PAD protesters jam the entry to the passenger terminal at Suvarnabhumi before storming inside, forcing the closure of the airport to outgoing flights. PATTARACHAI PREECHAPANICH

The opposing sides made demands that were similar in some ways and very different in others. Both sides demanded the resignation of prime ministers and governments they opposed. The yellow-shirted PAD supporters demanded that attempts to amend or abrogate the constitution be ended. The red-shirted UDD supporters wanted an immediate dissolution of the House followed by a general election and a reinstatement of the previous charter.

The lengthy rallies on both sides were clearly aimed at disrupting, even paralysing the workings of government. By occupying or blockading key government or business centres they aimed to force their political enemies out of power, including the prime minister, the cabinet and, in the case of the UDD, important symbols of power like the Privy Council president.

Obviously, such demands were unacceptable to government leaders, but dispersing tens of thousands of people, some of whom were armed, was not easy. Deploying  troops and police for crackdown operations could easily turn violent, resulting in many fatalities or injuries. The protestors erected barricades and other defences. They defied demands that they disperse and they were not afraid to confront security forces and clashes were frequent.

Soldiers push back protesters from Soi Rang Nam on Ratchaprarop Road. CHANAT KATANYU

Legal means like invoking a state of emergency (emergency decree), imposing restrictions on financial transactions in support of the protests or issuing arrest warrants for core leaders had only limited success. Tensions remained high and there were incidents of violence in the provinces.

The 193-day PAD rally was ended by a court verdict which ousted the government and dissolved the political party they had been fighting against. There was no end to the unrest surrounding the UDD rally at the Ratchaprasong intersection and finally, non-violent measures were scrapped and heavily armed troops were called in to end the protest.

crisis – an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation  วิกฤตการณ์
seize – to take control of a place or situation (often using force)  เข้ายึดพื้นที่
coup (d’etat) – the seizure of power in a country by a group of people, usually members of the armed forces รัฐประหาร
core leader(s) – the most active or most important members of a group แกนนำ
United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) – the group originally formed to demonstrate against the 2006 coup and which supported the Somchai Wongsawat government against the PAD and which led the fight against the Ahbishit government. They are known for wearing red shirts แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาต
resistance – opposing or fighting against someone or something การต่อต้าน, การขัดขืน
ousted – forced out of a position of power ขับออกจากอำนาจconstitution
constitution (charter) – the set of laws and basic principles that a country in governed by รัฐธรรมนูญ
elite – the richest, most powerful, best educated or most highly trained group in a society คนที่มีอภิสิทธิ์ที่สุด
bureaucrats – people who work in government departments ข้าราชการ
elite bureaucrats – the most powerful people in or associate with government departments that hold the real power in the country; the amayata
reverse – (of a decision) to change เปลี่ยนแปลง
rival – a person, group, team or business that competes with another คู่แข่ง
People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) – the union of several groups who protested against the Samak and Somchai governments and which staged large protests against the Thaksin government as well พันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตย 
(the) monarchy – the king or queen and their family in a particular country สถาบันกษัตริย์ deposed – forced from a position of power ที่ถูกปลด ไล่ออกจากตำแหน่ง
abuse of power (authority) – the illegal use of power in a bad, dishonest or harmful way ใช้อำนาจในการกระทำผิดกฎหมาย
enrich – to make someone richer, ทำให้รวยขึ้น
assets – things owned by a person, company etc., particularly money and property ทรัพย์สิน
freeze assets – (of a court) to order that things owned by someone, especially money and property cannot be used by the owner until a final court decision has been made การพิทักษ์ทรัพย์
seize assets – to officially take money or from someone, often by a court order ยึดหรืออายัดทรัพย์สิน
oppose – to disagree with or not approve of a plan or policy คัดค้าน
protest – a strong complaint or disagreement ประท้วง
rally – a large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุม
mass rally – a very large public gathering of people to support someone or to protest against something การชุมนุมใหญ่
demonstration – a public meeting or march at which people show that they are protesting against or supporting someone or something การเดินขบวน, การชุมนุมประท้วงprotester – someone who shows that they disagree with something by standing somewhere, shouting, carrying signs, etc  ผู้ต่อต้าน, ผู้ประท้วง
demonstrator – someone who marches or gathers with other people other people in public to show that they support or oppose something ผู้ชุมนุม
occupy – to be in control of a place that you entered by force as a group ยึดครอง
pressure – to try to make someone do something by forcing, threatening, or persuading them in a determined way กดดัน
authority – power อำนาจ
bow to – to agree to do what someone wants you to do even though you do not want to do it ยอมให้่
demand – a very firm statement that you want something คำขอร้อง,การเรียกร้อง
demand – to say in a very firm way that you want something เรียกร้อง
rally site (venue) – a place where a large public gathering happens สถานที่ชุมนุม
urge – to advise someone very strongly about what action or attitude they should take ผลักดัน, กระตุ้น, วิงวอน
surround – to be everywhere around something ล้อมรอบamend
abrogate – to officially end a law or political arrangement ยกเลิก
dissolution of the House – formally ending the House of Representatives, usually leading to a general election การยุบสภา
reinstatement – beginning to use something again such as a law or benefit or, in this case, a constitution การนำกลับมาใช้อีก
disrupt – to interrupt something and prevent it from continuing by creating a problem ได้รับการกระทบกระเทือน  ถูกทำให้หยุดชะงัก, ทำให้เสียกระบวน
paralyse – to cause something be unable to operate normally; to cause to be unable to move ทำให้เป็นอัมพาต
blockade – an action that is intended to prevent people or goods from moving from one place to another กีดขวางการจราจร
key – most important  ที่สำคัญ
cabinet – the group of government ministers who make and approve government policy คณะรัฐมนตรี
Privy Council – the group of appointed advisors to the King of Thailand   สภาองคมนตรีไทย
disperse – (of a crowd) to cause to separate and move in different directions, i.e., to end being a crowd สลาย (การชุมนุม)
armed – carrying a weapon  ติดอาวุธ
deploy – (of police or soldiers) to put in place ready for action ส่ง (ทหารตำรวจ) ประจำการ
troops – soldiers, especially in large numbers กองทหาร
crackdown – strong action that someone in authority takes to stop a particular activity การใช้กำลังเข้าปราบปรามของเจ้าหน้าที่
operation – an activity which is planned to achieve something; a planned activity involving a lot of people, especially soldiers or police officers การดำเนินการ, การปฏิบัติการ
injury – physical damage done to a person or a part of their body อาการบาดเจ็บ
violent – involving the use of physical force, with the intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
fatality – a death caused by an illness, accident, crime or war การเสียชีวิต
erect – to put the parts of something together so that it stands upright  ตั้งขึ้น
barricade – a temporary structure that is built across a road to prevent people from getting through แผงหรือแนวรั้วกั้น
defenses – the particular structures, weapons, and people that are used for protecting a place
defy – to refuse to obey or accept someone or something ท้า, เป็นปฏิปักษ์ต่อ
confront – to stand in front of someone in a frightening or threatening way เผชิญหน้า
clash – a fight between groups of people การปะทะกันสองฝ่าย
means – methods วิธีการ
invoke – to use a rule or law as a reason or basis for doing something อ้าง (กฎหมาย)
state of emergency – a dangerous situation in which the government takes on special powers and the rights of the people are often limited in some way ภาวะฉุกเฉิน
invoke state of emergency – to declare a state of emergency ประกาศภาวะฉุกเฉิน 
emergency decree – a situation where the government takes on special powers in a dangerous situation and the rights of the people are often limited in some way ภาวะฉุกเฉิน 
impose – to introduce something such a as a new law or new system and force people to accept it นำกฎหมายมาบังคับใช้
restriction – a rule, action or situation that limits or controls someone or something การจำกัด, การควบคุม
financial transaction – a dealing involving money
issue – to officially announce or give out  ออก, ออกประกาศ, ออกคำสั่ง
arrest warrant – a document signed by a judge allowing police to arrest someone หมายจับ
tensions – the feelings caused by a lack of trust between people, groups or countries who do not agree about something and may attack each other ความตึงเครียด
incident – something that happens, especially something bad, such as a violent criminal, or dangerous event เหตุการณ์
violence – physical force with the deliberate intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people ความรุนแรง
verdict – a decision by a court of law คำพิพากษา
dissolve – to officially end a group ยุบ(พรรค)
political party – an organised group of people who have similar ideas about the way in which a country should be governed, and who work together to try to persuade people to vote for them in elections พรรคการเมือง
unrest – a political situation in which people are angry and likely to protest or fight ความไม่สงบ (ทางการเมือง)
intersection – a place where roads, lines, etc., join or cross each other สี่แยก
measure – a firm action taken to solve a problem or stop an a dangerous unpleasant situation มาตราการ
scrap –to get rid of; to stop using or accepting เลิก, ทิ้ง

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