Military Service Selection Process Day In Khun Han

[Krub]

Last Monday 2 April, I spend a whole day to assist at the selection process of the local 20 years old to the compolsury military service.

Young guys who turn 20 are called to report for military duty (2 years in the services)

There is a selection process on 1 or 2 days each year.

Only a few are actually required to serve.

When papers are sent to call them up 3 or 4 months before the selection date, I was told that there is then a way to get off the list by paying between 20k and 40k depending on the time. The nearer to selection day the more expensive it gets to get off the list.

On selection day, they are supposed to be there at 7am (a local school ground/main hall is used)

The day starts with the guys lined up by Tambon at the Amphur (this time Khun Han south of Sisaket)

They salute the raising of the flag with the national anthem

They are then lined up in front of the main hall where the military chief makes a longish speech explainingthe selection process

They are then asked to take of their shirts and shoes/sandals and to pull up their pants above the knees and lined up again.

They are then called one by one in the main halll where they go to several points for checks, mostly physical.

The guys who do not make it (wheelchair, too fat, too slim, etc) are given discharge papers and allowed to leave.

All others are asked to stay around for the lottery.

520 guys were called, I saw about 30 being discharged and the rest would have to go through the lottery process

During the process the school yards are full of local food sellers, family members, etc making it a great day out event for the whole Amphur.

Finaly around 4pm the remaining guys are called 1 by 1 to the main hall for the lottery.They sit down and then the lottery process starts.

They are told that out of the total 520 only 90 will be called for service.

The names are called one by one and they have to pick a piece of paper in a black jar where there are only 90 'red colored papers' and 400 'black colored papers'.

Familes are looking on all around the hall with the guys sitting down in the middle waiting to be called to pick a lottery paper.

The guy picks a paper and it is the miltary who reads the result either on or off to the cheers of the whole assembly.

The first guiy who picks a red paper is a hero or made to be. he gets to pick where he wants to be stationed (in this case there were 47 opening for the Bangkok barracks)

Once the 90 red have been picked the show is over and the rest get their discharge papers there and then.

A very fun and interresting day especially that the family friend picked a black lottery and was discharged.

A big party at home followed.....Chok dee

Edited April 11, 2007 by Krub

[tso310]

I'd always wondered why so few of my wife's relatives hadn't done National Service. The odds of getting called up are a lot less than I had thought.

[TerryLH]

I saw this a couple of years in Lomsak. They weren't quite as organized as posted above.

In Lomsak the young men would start drinking early in the day. Then they'd start having fights, with bets being placed on whichever participant you liked. This would go on for several hours. It looked like they were all having a great time.

I remember the year one of my brother-in-laws had to go there. A couple of days prior to the day, my mother-in-law went to a temple and prayed he'd draw red. No such luck. He got black and didn't have to go. It would have done him some good.

Terry

[Totster]

The wife went along this year mainly for the food and party atmosphere.... and five lucky lads won (about 50%ish) and will be assimilated...

totster

[typhoon]

My son went for selection this week in Kanchanaburi, he applied to join, so only has to do 1 year's service, as opposed to the red or black ticket lotto, he told me 30k was the going rate for not going.

I think it will do him good to get out of bed at 5am instead of 2pm! by the by the way, ladyboys can only do national sevice if they don't have silicon boobs, so i've been told.

[Krub]

My son went for selection this week in Kanchanaburi, he applied to join, so only has to do 1 year's service, as opposed to the red or black ticket lotto, he told me 30k was the going rate for not going.

I think it will do him good to get out of bed at 5am instead of 2pm! by the by the way, ladyboys can only do national sevice if they don't have silicon boobs, so i've been told.

Ladyboys are only exempted if they do not have their balls anymore...or so I was told

[Farma]

Funny you should mention lady boys; my nephew drew a red card last year. He’s told us some funny stories about the lady boy they have in their intake. There appears to be more than one ladyboy where he is barracked. The lady boys often get all dressed up and put on cabaret shows for the lads.