Our 16 year old son has Aussie and Thai citizenship. Born in Aus, Thai mother and we all live in Thailand. He would like to renounce his Thai nationality to avoid army draft or "lodor" (army cadet thing). Has anyone any experience/ideas about this? Long term he still wants to live and work in Thailand.

6 minutes ago, humdrumdays said:

He would like to renounce his Thai nationality to avoid army draft or "lodor" (army cadet thing). Has anyone any experience/ideas about this? Long term he still wants to live and work in Thailand.

Renouncing Thai nationality sounds like a stupid idea in this case.

There are alternatives to the regular military service, i would suggest he just looks the options up on Google.

What options? haven't seen any. not even money offers.

No experience, but he would want to think about how he jumps through the Immigration hoops once he is no longer a Thai national.

IMO he should check out buying exemption, I gather it's quite common here for the more well-heeled.

Become a monk.

Does he really want to get onto the work permit and B-Visa/extension bandwagon ?

if you join Australian military or are otherwise out of the country, doesn't this mean you cannot join Thai military simultaneously?

There is an age limit - this is the solution.

He would have to wait until he's 20, but long term, that's a really bad plan. The reason being once he renounced his citizenship, he would have no right of abode in Thailand, no right to work, no right to own land, no right to be self employed and no right to apply for licenses and permits or carry on an occupation reserved for Thai nationals only.

 

If he wants to live and work in Thailand as a Thai citizen then he will have to accept that citizenship comes with obligations as well as privaledges.

 

Perhaps you can help him find the easiest way through this, such as cadets. If he is academically minded and gets a degree, his time can be reduced to as little as 6 months if he volunteers.

50 minutes ago, humdrumdays said:

What options? haven't seen any. not even money offers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_Defense_Student Somebody who did this for a certain amount of time (according to Wikipedia 80 hours per year, no idea how many years are required), is afaik exempt from regular military service.

He could sign up for a regular job within the army (army nurse, or whatever), then he doesn't have to do the dumb<deleted>.

I've heard somewhere that while he studies at a university he will also not be conscripted, so going to work abroad for a few years after finishing university, and coming back to Thailand once he turns 30 might be another option.

He could volunteer to join, then it's just 6 months, compared to 2 years if he loses the lottery. Of course these are wasted 6 months, but better than wasting Thai citizenship if wanting to live in Thailand.

There are probably more options, this is just what i learned randomly while being in Thailand, let him Google for options in Thai.

 

Quite a few young men dress up as the opposite gender and sashay into the recruitment office in a mini-skirt.

 

Might be worth a try if he doesn't want to do a couple of hours a week in the cadet scheme.

Anyway, being 4 years out from the draft, rest easy. I'd suggest he goes to live in Australia until he's 30 or the obligation no longer applies due to a change of law. Or he can buy his way out for a few tens of thousands of Baht, or follow any of the other methods suggested. It's nothing much to worry about, especially not now.

 

I avoided a draft in one of my nationalities (actually, the only one which still has an obligation) by living abroad. 

Bone spurs  work  in some places.

How about flat feet? Bone spurs?

Amazon.com can provide? Australians  so  desire  the " American" dream ! Anything is  for sale !

"He would like to renounce his Thai nationality to avoid army draft or "lodor" (army cadet thing)."

 

"Long term he still wants to live and work in Thailand."

 

So basically he wants to have his cake and eat it?

He should do the army cadets to avoid military call up. My ex students told me they could pay a little to do nothing at Friday cadets. Renouncing citizenship  will mean visas, work permits  and protected professions.

20 hours ago, jackdd said:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Territorial_Defense_Student Somebody who did this for a certain amount of time (according to Wikipedia 80 hours per year, no idea how many years are required), is afaik exempt from regular military service.

He could sign up for a regular job within the army (army nurse, or whatever), then he doesn't have to do the dumb<deleted>.

 

That is correct, you have to ask the school if they have this program, as not all schools have it