News Forum - Mixed responses to calls for ending compulsory military service in Thailand

[Thaiger]

Academics and human rights defenders have provided mixed responses to the increasing calls to end compulsory military service in Thailand, intensifying as the May 14 polls approach. The Move Forward Party and the Pheu Thai Party have both pledged they will terminate compulsory service in favor of voluntary enlistment if they win the elections and …

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[Karolyn]

Does it matter? People are already excused from service, if there's good reason

[Vigo]

1 hour ago, Karolyn said:

Does it matter? People are already excused from service, if there's good reason

No. People who can pay off can be excused. Poor and rural people do not get excused unless they are missing a limb or have an infectious disease.

[Karolyn]

1 hour ago, Vigo said:

No. People who can pay off can be excused. Poor and rural people do not get excused unless they are missing a limb or have an infectious disease.

Mentally ill people are not welcome though, this is why kathoey are excused, remember. And people do forget, most people actually do have a temporary mental health episode, such as, stress or depression, at some point in their lives. How hard is it to feign insanity? I've known people to fake schizophrenia, for the state benefits. 

[Marc26]

3 hours ago, Vigo said:

No. People who can pay off can be excused. Poor and rural people do not get excused unless they are missing a limb or have an infectious disease.

We are convinced my stepson has gotten fat in University so he doesn't have to go to militia when he graduates 5555

[Vigo]

19 hours ago, Karolyn said:

Mentally ill people are not welcome though, this is why kathoey are excused, remember. And people do forget, most people actually do have a temporary mental health episode, such as, stress or depression, at some point in their lives. How hard is it to feign insanity? I've known people to fake schizophrenia, for the state benefits. 

You are talking out of the illusionary hat now. The enlistment screening has been in place since 1954 and the  medical and clerical admin staff have seen every trick in the book. Saying you or gay or even 3rd gender  won't excuse one from service. The military has no hesitation beating the gay out of a conscript. At every conscription call up there will be  people  dressed as women. It doesn't work. The requests must be done in advance and the military will verify.  Only 2 criteria for enlistment must be met; 1. Be disease free (no HIV, TB, Cancer etc.) or physical disability that prevents military service and 2. Be at least 160cm tall and have a chest circumference of 76cm or more when exhaling. A third provision is also applied; Conscript should not be in jail for a violent offence.

You may consider kathoey as mentally ill, but Thailand society does not and the kathoey is expected to show up and be screened, even enlisted until bounced out. Failure to have the  service record can negatively impact employment prospects and everyone knows it. It is very difficult to feign mental illness. Why do you think mental defect defense in criminal trials is so difficult?  Stress or depression is not grounds for military deferment. True mental illness conditions will have been known before the call up and is verifiable at enlistment or prior to the call up. If not already under care, then no deferment will be granted. 

[Karolyn]

Sorry but traditionally kathooey were excused from service, on the grounds of illness, as you say. And this was checked by medical records. Though a good case can be made that they are physically I'll, or that their condition is real but not of a clinical nature, this did mean a psychiatric DX of gender dysphoria in the past. Saying they are mentally ill is not my opinion, in this context. It is their official status, which prevented conscription 

[TheDirtyDurian]

14 hours ago, Vigo said:

You are talking out of the illusionary hat now. The enlistment screening has been in place since 1954 and the  medical and clerical admin staff have seen every trick in the book. Saying you or gay or even 3rd gender  won't excuse one from service. The military has no hesitation beating the gay out of a conscript. At every conscription call up there will be  people  dressed as women. It doesn't work. The requests must be done in advance and the military will verify.  Only 2 criteria for enlistment must be met; 1. Be disease free (no HIV, TB, Cancer etc.) or physical disability that prevents military service and 2. Be at least 160cm tall and have a chest circumference of 76cm or more when exhaling. A third provision is also applied; Conscript should not be in jail for a violent offence.

You may consider kathoey as mentally ill, but Thailand society does not and the kathoey is expected to show up and be screened, even enlisted until bounced out. Failure to have the  service record can negatively impact employment prospects and everyone knows it. It is very difficult to feign mental illness. Why do you think mental defect defense in criminal trials is so difficult?  Stress or depression is not grounds for military deferment. True mental illness conditions will have been known before the call up and is verifiable at enlistment or prior to the call up. If not already under care, then no deferment will be granted. 

They used to be classed as mentally ill by the army, but this changed some years back. Now they obtain a doctor's certificate and the army deems them unsuitable.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5573819/amp/Thai-ladyboys-annual-ritual-showing-certificates-exempt-national-service.html

 

[Mamachigawa]

57 minutes ago, TheDirtyDurian said:

They used to be classed as mentally ill by the army, but this changed some years back. Now they obtain a doctor's certificate and the army deems them unsuitable.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5573819/amp/Thai-ladyboys-annual-ritual-showing-certificates-exempt-national-service.html

Some of those ladies are very beautiful