《中英對照讀新聞》Against the tide： Thai ’floating temple’ defies coastal erosion 逆潮：泰國「漂浮寺廟」力抗後退的海岸線

在陸地遭海水侵蝕下，泰國灣沿岸一座佛寺宛如孤島。（法新社檔案照）

◎孫宇青

As sea waters slowly rose around his temple and his neighbors fled inland, Thai abbot Somnuek Atipanyo refused to budge and is today a symbol of the fight to restore the country’s fast-eroding coastlines.

當海水慢慢地上升包圍他的寺廟，左鄰右舍也紛紛往內陸逃難，泰國佛寺住持松努耶．阿提盤尤還是不願屈服，如今已是致力恢復這個國家快速消失海岸線的代表人物。

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A dangerous combination of climate change, industrial farming and rapid urbanization in the past 30 years, are endangering the Gulf of Thailand’s coasts, stripping away precious mangrove trees and leaving buildings surrounded by sea water. The fishing village of Samut Chin is one of them.

過去30年，在氣候變遷、工業化農業和快速都市化的可怕結合下，泰國灣沿岸正受到危害，珍貴的紅樹林被砍除，建物被海水圍繞。沙沐欽漁村正是其中之一。

These shores were once protected by extensive mangrove forests － the Gulf of Thailand boasts some of the largest in the world － a natural defence against coastal erosion. However, the mangrove forests have been cleared for extensive development of shrimp and salt farms.

當地海岸曾受廣闊紅樹林所保護—泰國灣紅樹林的規模曾是全球首屈一指—那是防止海水侵蝕土地的天然屏障。然而，為了開發蝦場、鹽田，這些紅樹林全被砍伐。

Climate change is also having an impact: stronger waves and more ferocious monsoons have wiped out mangroves in the Gulf of Thailand, which is especially vulnerable because its waters are so shallow.（AFP）

造成衝擊的還有氣候變遷，包括更強勁的海浪及更猛烈的季風，使得海水面很淺而特別脆弱的泰國灣沿岸，有更多紅樹林消失。（法新社）

新聞辭典

erode：動詞，侵蝕；磨損。例句：A series of scandals have eroded the idol’s image.（接二連三的醜聞侵損這位明星的形象。）

budge：動詞，微微移動；讓步。例句：Despite consecutive complaints, the arbitrary boss still refused to budge.（儘管抱怨四起，一意孤行的老闆仍拒絕讓步。）

mangrove：名詞，紅樹林。例句：Mangrove trees thrive in hot, muddy, salty conditions.（紅樹林在炎熱、泥濘且鹽分高的環境中蓬勃生長。）

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