Udon Thani Thailand Forum - Udon Thani, Thailand

Hi,
My thai grandson who travels on Australian passport is fast approaching independant travel and his mother is concerned that he will be forced to complete miltary service in Thailand. Given that our grandson does not have thai language can those who have found their male family members in a similar position advise how they were affected and the requirement to meet military service

Hi,

As long as he holds a Thai passport (ie Thai citizenship) then he is eligible for selection to do military service. If he is selected, and doesn't wish to do his duty as a citizen, then you may be able to pay someone else to take his place. Alternatively he can renounce h is Thai citizenship and remain solely an Australian.

Thanks for that Bonanza, l guess the concern for our daughter in law is if our grandson was to travel to Thailand on holidays to visit his thai relatives, do Thai Immigration alert the relevant military authorities as he attempts to enter or leave the country. Our daughter in law may be overthinking this but certainty of knowledge will go a long way to putting her mind at ease.

Thai males are required to register for military conscription at age 18 in the district where they are on a House Registration document.. If they fail to do so there can be legal problems. In the month of April of their 21st birthday they must report to the District in which they're registered for conscription processing which consists of a brief physical examination, paperwork review then the rite where they are called forward to pick their lottery chance from a large glass jar to see if they go or don't go. Each District has a quota of conscripts that is based on the number of enlistees versus the needed number of draftees. Several years ago a great-nephew of ours went through the process (he'd been deferred due to college until his 22nd birthday). Due to high rates of enlistment throughout Issan, his chance of getting picked dropped to about 1 in 5. Much to his relief he didn't get picked.

As I understand it, if your grandson isn't registered on a Housebook in Thailand then the government wouldn't know he is eligible for conscription.. If he's traveling on an Australian passport I doubt there would be any questions asked at Immigration regarding his potential draft eligibility in Thailand.

My viewpoint is somewhat different. I have a young son with Thai and UK passports, personally I can see nothing wrong with being conscripted into the Thai armed forces. Indeed, if that is what happened, I would be very proud of him.

That of course would depend on his Thai language ability as well as registering at 18 for the draft. If he's inclined toward a military career in the Thai Armed forces he can enroll as what is essentially a cadet while in High School and avoid the draft..

I don't see it necessarily in terms of a military career...conscription is (in my view) a form of 'civic duty'. A civic duty that can give a sense of discipline and instill a measure of respect, as well as providing essential life-skills (such as team-work). Parents can also have pride that their son is playing his part in the development of the Thai nation.

Conscription is also seen by many male Thais as.not involving them

" Facility Fee " is paid.

A Thai friend of.mine.paid 20,000 some.time ago

How long is conscription? I'd be happy for my son to do it but if it hindered his learning or career I'd certainly look at ways to avoid it. Having said that some of the treatment in the Thai army leaves a lot to be desired.

Judging by what I know about the Thai armed forces and my information is somewhat sketchy at times, it is seen as a way to discipline the males of the country , there is no conscription of females. They are used as so many in the UK were as cannon fodder, should they ever be used in combat and at other times as lackeys doing whatever they are told to do whenever and wherever.
If a young male is bent on being a career Armed forces person then enrol him in educational establishment cadets organisation and he will get a foot on the bottom of the ladder.

The British stopped conscription I believe in mid to late 50's as when I joined they were still some people serving their conscription. It was stopped partly because the equipment being used and the also the fact that the Uk needed thinking personnel not just boots on the ground.
AS the Thai Armed forces have never in recent recordable history EVER been involved in any armed conflict ( other than minor skirmished on the border and the so-called terrorist action down south ), the use of conscription is just another tool to keep the masses in check, aka boots on the ground to support government actions even more so now that we have a Military junta again.
Thailands actions especially after the Second World war has never needed the size of the Armed forces it has and they are rapidly expanding their influence especially the Navy for reasons that never cease to amaze me.

let us be honest who wants Thailand as a ;land mass, and if they did any decent incursion by another country would succeed. Anyone who has more generals in the Army ( far more than any major power) has a major problem .

Hi Mac123, would you still have the same view if your son left Thailand at age of 2, returned 3 times in the ensuing years and did not speak Thai/Lao.

Khun Paul, so the Thai artillery battery that fired in support of my unit in South Vietnam in 1968 were not really there?

see this link -

http://thevietnamwar.info/thailand-invo ... etnam-war/

trekkertony wrote:Hi Mac123, would you still have the same view if your son left Thailand at age of 2, returned 3 times in the ensuing years and did not speak Thai/Lao.

No I wouldn't...your right my view would be different. If he had returned to be brought up in my home country, I would sit him down at 18 and discuss the various obligations which go with being a passport-holder; (I assume your son has Aussie and Thai passports). I would explain to him that Thailand (along with many other nations) expects it's citizens to undertake their civic responsibilities (including conscription).

Funnily enough a similar situation arose with my nephew a number of years ago. My nephew was born in (then) Czechoslovakia and came to the UK age 1. He, in theory, would have been liable for conscription (only abolished in 2005). However, he had already made his mind up that he wanted to be 100% British and only had a UK passport.

Mind you, he is still able to speak pretty fluent Czech as he kept this up since he was little (his Mum and private lessons).

Addendum: Re the above, if your son only has an Aussie passport, I would agree entirely that he should not be liable for military service in LoS.

You say he 'travels' on an Aussie passport'...does he have a Thai passport too, or does he only have the Aussie one?

wokkawombat wrote:Khun Paul, so the Thai artillery battery that fired in support of my unit in South Vietnam in 1968 were not really there?

As I said a mere skirmish as that insurgency was a bloody disaster in any event . The USA did not declare war.

"The USA did not declare war"

Tell that to the 282,000 who died (Allied troops) from 1965 to 1974

and the 1,071,000 civilians and Vietnamese troops

Its ok we aren't at war

Khun Paul wrote:

wokkawombat wrote:Khun Paul, so the Thai artillery battery that fired in support of my unit in South Vietnam in 1968 were not really there?

As I said a mere skirmish as that insurgency was a bloody disaster in any event . The USA did not declare war.

KP

May I suggest you research your replies rather than offending comments such as

" Mere Skirmish "

My mothers cousin was killed in The Vietnam War and your comment is insulting to myself, my family and members such as Wokka who laid their lives on the line in Vietnam .

Military service was great for me and as I reflect back I cant imagine life without what the Army did for me. I can understand enlisting in the Thai military not speaking the language might seem a bit challenging but I would venture to bet you could turn it into the experience of a lifetime and have a great time. Man up and go for it!

I don't think they take people who can't speak, read or write Thai. If they do, then you can bet that person will end up doing crap details for the duration unless they buy their way into being some officers servant...