離開
進入《中英對照讀新聞》New Thai PM uses holy water, feng shui to ward off occult 泰國新總理用聖水、風水擋巫術
◎管淑平
As he prepares to move in to Bangkok’s Government House this week, Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha is going to great lengths to sweep away any occult challenge.
在他準備於本週搬進曼谷的總理府之際，泰國總理帕拉育要大費周章地掃除任何巫術威脅。
Prayuth has left nothing to chance since leading a military coup to topple a democratically elected government on May 22. After a meticulously planned power grab, he has systematically snuffed out dissent.
帕拉育自從5月22日帶頭發動軍事政變、推翻經民主選舉產生的政府後，就步步為營。經過精心策劃的奪權行動後，他便有系統地剷除異己。
Like many politicians and generals before him, Prayuth believes in spiritualism and divination and on Monday members of his entourage were seen carrying Buddha statues and religious idols thought to bring luck in to Government House.
就像在他之前的許多政治人物和軍事將領一樣，帕拉育深信神靈之說，他的隨從週一就被目擊將據信可帶來好運的佛像和宗教偶像帶進總理府。
Furniture in Prayuth’s designated office has been arranged according to the principles of feng shui.
帕拉育專用辦公室內的家具依照風水原則擺設。
"Prayuth’s work table has been placed in the east of the work room as this is thought to aid quick solutions," a prime ministerial aide told Reuters.
「帕拉育的辦公桌放在辦公室的東邊，因為這個方位被認為有助於迅速解決問題，」一名總理助理告訴路透。
"The tones in the building will mostly be green, as this is the army’s color and Prayuth, as army chief, is compatible with green," the aide said.（Reuters）
「辦公室的色調將以綠色為主，因為這是陸軍的代表色，也與身為陸軍總司令的帕拉育很合，」這名助理說。（路透）
新聞辭典：
ward off：動詞，擊退、抵擋。例句：I have taken vitamin C in the hope of warding off colds.（我吃了維他命C，希望能預防感冒。）
leave（something/nothing）to chance：動詞片語，（不）靠運氣解決某事，聽天由命。例句：Greg always makes plans for everything. He doesn’t leave anything to chance.（葛瑞格向來為每件事情做好計畫。他對任何事情都不心存僥倖。）
snuff（somebody/something）out：片語動詞，扼殺、剷除某人或事。例句：The country’s hope for democracy have been snuffed out.（這個國家對民主的期待被扼殺了。）
