英字新聞

The Yomiuri Shimbun January 16, 2014
Urgent steps must be taken to unsnarl chaos disrupting Thailand election
タイ反政府デモ　選挙実現へ混乱収拾が急務だ（1月16日付・読売社説）

Disorder in Thailand has become protracted as the factional conflict intensifies. It is desirable to explore a way to unsnarl the chaos so the general election can be held.
　党派対立の激化によりタイの混乱が長期化している。総選挙の実現に向け、混乱収拾の道を模索することが望まれる。

Protests against the government led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra—a sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra—have been occurring frequently over the past two months in Bangkok, with demonstrators calling for Yingluck’s resignation.
　首都バンコクでは２か月以上にわたり、タクシン元首相の妹、インラック首相の辞任を求める反タクシン派のデモが頻発している。

Since Monday, antigovernment protesters have occupied the key intersections of Bangkok and roads in front of government offices, partially paralyzing the functions of the capital city. The Yingluck administration has refrained from removing them by force, apparently for fear of a clash between the police and the protesters.
　デモ隊は１３日から、主要交差点や官庁前道路などを占拠し、都市機能の一部が麻痺(まひ)する事態となった。インラック政権は、強制排除を控えている。警官隊とデモ隊の衝突を恐れているのだろう。

The latest wave of protests was triggered as the ruling Pheu Thai Party, in support of Thaksin, made a failed bid to push an amnesty bill through parliament that would have allowed Thaksin, who is in self-imposed exile to avoid jail time for a corruption conviction, to return to Thailand.
　デモの発端は、タクシン派与党のタイ貢献党が、汚職罪で実刑判決を受けて国外に逃れているタクシン氏の帰国に道を開く恩赦法を成立させようとしたことだ。

This high-handed approach of the ruling party has brought about angry responses from anti-Thaksin forces, including the main opposition Democrat Party.
強引な姿勢が、最大野党・民主党など反タクシン派の反発を招いた。

In a bid to calm the political crisis, Yingluck dissolved the lower house and called for a general election slated for Feb. 2. Then the anti-Thaksin forces vowed to boycott the vote, while calling for Yingluck to step down and for a transition to an interim government comprised of nonelected representatives from various sectors to oversee political and electoral reforms before any new polls.
　首相は混乱を収拾しようと、下院を解散し、２月２日投票の総選挙実施に打って出た。これに対し、反タクシン派は、選挙受け入れを拒否し、首相の辞任と、選挙を経ない各界代表による暫定統治への移行を要求した。

Undermining democracy

The pro-Thaksin party has paid particular attention to the poor, who make up a large part of the population, and enjoys overwhelming support among the poor and in rural areas. In recent general elections, the party has continuously been the victor. The anti-Thaksin forces have apparently concluded that there is no way for them to win in an election.
　弱者対策に力を入れてきたタクシン派政党は、人口が多い貧困層や農村で圧倒的に支持されており、近年の総選挙で連勝中だ。反タクシン派は、選挙では勝ち目がないと判断したとみられる。

Boycotting the vote and disturbing public order to make others accept their claim, primarily on the pretext of the opposition having little chance of winning an election, is just a self-serving stance in total disregard of democratic procedures. The right thing to do is for them to approve the holding of the election.
　勝算が乏しいことを理由に、選挙を拒否し、秩序を乱す行動で主張を通そうとするのは、民主的手続きを無視した利己的な態度と言わざるを得ない。選挙を受け入れるのが筋である。

Yet it now appears to be difficult to hold the election as planned.
　ただ、予定通りに選挙を実施するのは、もはや困難に見える。

Due to the obstruction by anti-Thaksin forces, there are many electoral districts that are devoid of candidates. Even if the election was forcibly carried out, there wouldn’t be enough members to fulfill the constitutional provisions for convening the lower house.
　反タクシン派の妨害によって、多くの選挙区で候補者が不在となったため、選挙を強行しても、憲法規定上、下院の招集に必要な議員数がそろわない。

Accordingly, the Election Committee has called for Yingluck to delay the election schedule.
　選挙管理委員会は、インラック首相に対して、選挙の日程を延期するよう求めている。

There are some within the anti-Thaksin forces who want military intervention. Even if the government was toppled with such means, it would only invite retaliation from pro-Thaksin forces.
　反タクシン派内には、軍の介入を望む声もあるという。たとえ、そうした手段で政権を倒しても、タクシン派からの報復を招くだけではないか。

The current turmoil is set to affect the economy.
　混乱は、経済にも影響を及ぼしつつある。

Some Japanese companies have taken measures such as shutting down the buildings of their local affiliates. It has also been reported that the government’s procedures for approving large-scale investment projects have been suspended.
　一部日本企業は、現地法人ビルの閉鎖などの措置をとった。大規模投資計画に対する政府の承認手続きも停止しているという。

Thailand, which has achieved its economic growth through foreign capital investments from countries such as Japan, has been called “an honor student among the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.” Such global confidence accredited to the country has begun to be undermined.
　タイは、日本など海外からの投資で成長し、「東南アジア諸国連合（ＡＳＥＡＮ）の優等生」と呼ばれてきた。その国際的な信用が揺らぎ始めている。

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, Jan. 16, 2014)
（2014年1月16日01時33分 読売新聞）