Service In Thai Military - How To Avoid?

[meom]

So all you have to do is dress up in your mum's skirt when you go to the interview?

It might help if you apply peanut butter on some strategic areas under your skirt and during the exam put your finger there and have a few licks

[britmaveric]

Just start babbling to an imaginary mate of yours.... then slap yourself around a bit. No one wants a crazy lad watching their back.

[jayjayjayjay]

Our Thai neighbors "bought" their son out of military service last year and it cost them B 30,000. Obviously their is no set price.

Prices have gone up since Lazyboy's email, must have been inflation while the military were in command, "bkk elite all wanting there piece of the pie!!!!"

britmaveric........ somehow you manage to draw a perfect picture..... are you Mr Bean by any chance? We've got Rowan Atkinson on TV, did anybody realise, ... now where's that thread!

Edited January 28, 2008 by jayjayjayjay

[chuck6660]

Excuse me! But has anyone thought that maybe these "guys" should do the right thing and serve their King andCountry...the same country that alows them the freedom to live the life they have chosen.

All I have read on this thread is how to avoid military service, nothing about doing the right thing!

[little_muppet]

easy to avoid and no need to pay any money. just tell ur friend to "break one of his finger,"

they wont accept u to join militaly if ur skeleton or bone watever u say is not ok.

LMP

[Ricardo]

For the gay issue, I think if you're very obviously a ladyboy - long hair, boobs, makeup, real feminine manner, a woman in every sense besides the bits down there - they check the "rok jit" (mental disease) box or something

They changed the regulations on that 2 years ago siamesekitty. Being gay or a ladyboy is no longer classified as a mental disease.

Being female seems to work quite well however.

[ahalfthaiamerican]

What about being luk-kreung dual (lifelong American & recent Thai citizen) who cannot speak any Thai but can only speak English? If one of them got conscripted because of the red/white ball lottery deal, wouldn't the military give them a waiver or rejection due to the fact that they cannot speak Thai? My brother could be in that situation in a few years.

[Arkady]

What about being luk-kreung dual (lifelong American & recent Thai citizen) who cannot speak any Thai but can only speak English? If one of them got conscripted because of the red/white ball lottery deal, wouldn't the military give them a waiver or rejection due to the fact that they cannot speak Thai? My brother could be in that situation in a few years.

I don't see why that should qualify for exemption. The nationality act clearly gives luk krung the option to renounce their Thai nationality at the age of 20 which provides a let out. If they decide to retain it, males should be prepared to do military service the same as every one else. I think they would actually be delighted to get some one like this. His lack of Thai would be a bit of a problem but I am sure they would find him a job that made use of his native English skills, like teaching English conversation at Chulachumklao or editing English language documents. I think his Thai would improve radically in two years wearing the green too.

Re gays. There are many gays in the Thai military and a very famous past commander-in-chief, who never married, is reputedly gay. One who is my gf's friend recently completed his military service as an accountant, since that is his profession. He didn't enjoy being in the army or the low pay but didn't report any particular unpleasantness as a result of being obviously gay. Most are put into non-combat positions such as clerical work or domestic jobs that gays enjoy such as kitchen duties or working as batmen for officers. I think only lady boys are rejected.

It is definitely worth paying some one off before the lottery. Obviously it is going to cost a lot more for some one who already has a red ball in hand and it might not even work out. Joining the cadets in high school to get exemption is also a good idea. I knew some one whose uncle had paid for his exemption while he was studying in the US. He was away for quite a few years without coming back to Thailand and his ID card had expired. When he applied for a new one he was called up for the lottery as his "exemption" had somehow not been recorded. He was pretty indignant about this but an army captain was content to take all the cash he had in his wallet at the time which was only about 10,000 baht to let him off the hook before they picked the balls. It is hard to know whether bribes have really worked in this area. It is also hard to lodge a formal complaint against bribe takers taking the money and then failing to honor their side of the bargain. My understanding is that the price depends on your district and how many recruits are needed that year. In Isaan the price is low but most farmers' sons seem willing to serve and learn new skills that can qualify them as security guards or gunmen later, as well as see the country, particularly the deep South.

Edited January 28, 2008 by Arkady

[samran]

arkady is pretty spot on.

Just wanted to mention though that ahalfthaiamericanlives in the US, though it is not clear if he is coming to Thailand.

My experience was not to live in Thailand until I was 30 (well, not get on the tabieen baan till after 30). I then organised to be exempted under the rule where all those over 30 are not eligible for exemption - though there is a 100 baht fine. Totally legit as well (although a very nice lunch for the entire sasadee staff helped grease the wheels).

[iono]

Excuse me! But has anyone thought that maybe these "guys" should do the right thing and serve their King andCountry...the same country that alows them the freedom to live the life they have chosen.

All I have read on this thread is how to avoid military service, nothing about doing the right thing!

Good point!

[TheDon]

Joining the army will toughen them up, but I wouldnt go because im already tough.

If I could I would buy my way out of the Army.

[hardy1943]

Excuse me! But has anyone thought that maybe these "guys" should do the right thing and serve their King andCountry...the same country that alows them the freedom to live the life they have chosen.

All I have read on this thread is how to avoid military service, nothing about doing the right thing!

Good point!

Being an ex military officer and a Vietnam vet. I would help anyone to avoid the military. Most officers have stupid written on their forehead, just look what the military accomplished here the last 15 month.

[samran]

When you get exempted, you get a certificate of exemption (not shown). In my case, being over 30, I also got an accompanying letter from the sasadee explaining the cause of my exemption. It outlines the relevant section of the Act which allows for this to happen.

I have attached that here.

[rken]

Get a tit job 10,000 baht. I now one guy who did and they wouldn't take him. He also had long hair and dressed like a women on a daily basis but I'm not sure they checked.