Thai conscientious objector risks jail in rare refusal of military service

[webfact]

 

Young men are forced to take part in conscript lottery, but the rich often avoid serving in army

Every April in Thailand young men take part in a lottery to determine whether they will be forced to do military service. Pull out a red card and you are drafted for up to two years. A black card means you are exempt.

 

When it was Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal’s turn to draw a card this month, he refused, making a rare protest as a conscientious objector. If prosecuted, it is believed he could become the first person in Thailand to be imprisoned for avoiding the draft through civil disobedience. The offence carries a maximum sentence of three years.

 

“I’m very anxious. When I’m sleeping, I am thinking about whether I will have to go to jail. I will lose a lot of things – I already have a business now. I will lose everything,” Netiwit, 27, told the Observer. But he added: “I think someone has to do this, to show that we have a problem.”

 

Netiwit said the system was outdated, ineffective and unfairly affected the poorest, who were less well placed to find ways to avoid the draft. It was also, he said, part of a wider system that undermined the country’s democracy.

 

The prominent activist first announced his objection to military service as a teenager, after the military seized power in a coup in 2014. It was only last year that the former coup leader Prayuth Chan-ocha, who later became prime minister, left office, after his party suffered a humiliating electoral defeat.

 

by Rebecca Ratcliffe

TOP: Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal in 2016. Photograph: Rungroj Yongrit/EPA/Shutterstock

 

Full story: The Guardian 2024-04-23

 

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[ikke1959]

The system is outdated indeed, but my foster son had to go in the army too, and they told if not he would go to jail. And he did not go and now 5 years later he is still walking around free and we went to the army, as we think it would be good for him to learn a bit discipline, but they told us they could not do anything, as the case was at the police and the police was too busy with other things..Besides that we noticed that the computersystems are not connected as when he got in jail, nobody saw that he should be in the army too, but they released him without  further notice...just to say 

[dinsdale]

The face of the future. I think I would be safe in saying this person voted for MFP.

Edited April 23 by dinsdale

[grandpa]

I always admire someone who is prepared to stand up for his or her principles, even if it means a jail sentence.  Everyone should have the right to refuse to do Military Service especially those who stand for Peace.  

My father was a Conscientious Objector in World War II.  He was , as I am a Pacifist, and was imprisoned for his beliefs, before being released to do work on the land.  Following the war, he was ridiculed, scorned, spat on, and generally seen as a persona non grata.  In his work as a bank clerk he was overlooked for promotion due to his beliefs, whilst ex-servicemen, with far less experience or qualifications were advanced beyond their capabilities.  So it takes a brave person to stand up for their beliefs, as in addition to imprisonment, they risk being shunned by society.

[brianthainess]

3 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

as we think it would be good for him to learn a bit discipline,

Like housework cleaning boots and washing knickers, if he survives training without injury or death. Discipline starts at home and not by physical assault.

 

[dinsdale]

3 hours ago, grandpa said:

Following the war, he was ridiculed, scorned, spat on, and generally seen as a persona non grata.

Interestingly Vietnam vets were treated very much the same be them regular or conscripts.

[RichardColeman]

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

[scorecard]

8 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

 

He says he is operating his own business. 

[mfd101]

Good for Netiwit.

 

Though I probably don't (in general) approve of draft avoiders, in the case of Thailand with its corruption and the fact that conscription is only for the poor, I agree with his action and respect his courage.

 

Besides, Thailand doesn't NEED conscription. Just pay the young trainee soldiers a decent wage and treat them as young trainee soldiers not officers' servants & bumboys and you would have more volunteers than you could cope with.

[scorecard]

53 minutes ago, dinsdale said:

Interestingly Vietnam vets were treated very much the same be them regular or conscripts.

 The VN situation was complex. I got conscripted, served in VN.

 

Back home there was nothing available to get re-employed / resume education.

 

Tried to join a national ex-servicemens organization, the lady laughed and said 'you cannot join, we don't have a box on our  member application form for VN vets because it wasn't a real war', and she pointed to the door. 

 

Further the day we returned to home (a group of twenty vets) we arrived at the army HQ office for our state at 3:00 am in the morning and got abused by the civilian clerical workers because they had to come to work early in the morning (3:00 am) to process our discharge paper. 

[Wobblybob]

One volunteer is better than ten forced men.

[hotchilli]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“I’m very anxious. When I’m sleeping, I am thinking about whether I will have to go to jail. I will lose a lot of things – I already have a business now. I will lose everything,” Netiwit, 27, told the Observer. But he added: “I think someone has to do this, to show that we have a problem.”

Brave young man... aged 27 with a business being forced to take a lottery dip and lose everything if he picks a red card... ludicrous Thailand. 

[hotchilli]

46 minutes ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

“I’m very anxious. When I’m sleeping, I am thinking about whether I will have to go to jail. I will lose a lot of things – I already have a business now. I will lose everything,” Netiwit, 27, told the Observer

Maybe he doesn't want to lose his business... as apposed to what you think.

[Srikcir]

1 hour ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

Why not his choice to decide instead of a military state? 

Is not passivity a moral action in which one is defined by what they do not do versus immoral/unethical action?

[borderhopper2005]

Thailand is not facing any eminent military threat from any other nations(unlike Israel and Ukraine).

What a waste to conscript a man who is already a successful entrepreneur.

Far better to let him work as it is now and keep him a good tax payer instead.

 

 

[Felton Jarvis]

Yes, the constant threat of invasion from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, and Vietnam, requires a steady supply of teenage cannon fodder to keep the hostilities going.

[digbeth]

2 hours ago, hotchilli said:

Brave young man... aged 27 with a business being forced to take a lottery dip and lose everything if he picks a red card... ludicrous Thailand. 

 

not the lottery red/black card pick for him, he's refusing to enlist which is straight to jail rather than serving out time in barracks

[it is what it is]

Every April in Thailand young men take part in a lottery to determine whether they will be forced to do military service. Pull out a red card and you are drafted for up to two years. A black card means you are exempt.

 

only those who haven't had the foresight to do the boy scout/cadet training thing while at school. very easy to avoid military service, no need to get involved in the lottery.

[digbeth]

37 minutes ago, it is what it is said:

Every April in Thailand young men take part in a lottery to determine whether they will be forced to do military service. Pull out a red card and you are drafted for up to two years. A black card means you are exempt.

 

only those who haven't had the foresight to do the boy scout/cadet training thing while at school. very easy to avoid military service, no need to get involved in the lottery.

 

You think temple school in Nakhon Nowhere has access to the cadet program? or the parents can afford the uniforms?

[ikke1959]

I am not sure what is better learn discipline and get a life or spend your time in drugs and jail with no future as he doesn't want to listen to anyone

[thesetat]

4 hours ago, dinsdale said:

Interestingly Vietnam vets were treated very much the same be them regular or conscripts.

i was thinking the same thing

[hotchilli]

1 hour ago, digbeth said:

 

not the lottery red/black card pick for him, he's refusing to enlist which is straight to jail rather than serving out time in barracks

I said if he picks... which he say's will lose him everything if he gets enlisted.

Outdated system.

 

[BangkokReady]

5 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

 

People love to project their own inadequacies onto others.

[BangkokReady]

Good for him.  A massively outdated practice.  And they're not even at war.  It would be ok (discipline, social skills, etc.) if it weren't for what they actually end up being forced to do during their service.

[Burma Bill]

7 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

 

"Rollox"!

[dinsdale]

8 hours ago, RichardColeman said:

Probably a Gen z'er that wants to stay at home on his playstation and has nothing to do with morals

I give you 1st prize for the most stupid comment I've seen today (so far). Congratulations.

Edited April 23 by dinsdale

[rabang]

On 4/23/2024 at 3:37 PM, borderhopper2005 said:

Thailand is not facing any eminent military threat from any other nations(unlike Israel and Ukraine).

What a waste to conscript a man who is already a successful entrepreneur.

Far better to let him work as it is now and keep him a good tax payer instead.

 

 

I was surprised to know Thailand has a conscription service.

[borderhopper2005]

2 hours ago, rabang said:

I was surprised to know Thailand has a conscription service.

 

Not every foreigner knows this country has  mandatory  national  services.

Not every single young Thai  men between 17-27 joins military without a choice.

But roughly 80000 men are required to go the armed forces(either army, navy, air force).

Their conscription is based upon lottery; pick a ball in the Blackbox.

If you got black one. you can walk free; no needs to  become a soldier.

If you got red one, bad luck...

 

 

[john donson]

modern slavery

 

I did my 12 months

 

and gen z and a will be doomed if anything serious happens in society as they can only complain

Edited April 26 by john donson