Thai Military Service for my Dual National son.(Not living in Thailand)

[joedee]

I am a British National I have a son with a Thai national.

Our son was born in India.

He was registered with The British Consulate 

and also The Thai Consulate in India

We have Passports and Birth certificates for both Countries plus an Indian Birth certificate

We also applied for a Thai ID card and renewed his Thai passport in Thailand 

during short trips to Thailand.

We also registered him in the house registration book at his mother's local town in Thailand.

 

My son and Thai Mother have permanently lived in India since 2005 other than annual short trips to Thailand.

My son has been educated fully at private school in India. He is now past 16 years old.

(His Mother and I both work in India)

 

He has decided on a career in The British Army. He has started the application process which has all been fine.

Now The British Army require a Military Service Letter from the Thai government informing that they will release 

my son from Conscription into The Thai Army and will not call upon him in the event of war or other reason.

 

I have contacted the Thai consulate in India and London.

In India they told me there is no process for this and he has to 

contact the local Military registration center where conscription is handled.

London have not replied despite 2 Emails and using a UK address and telephone number.

 

I have googled this and the information is very unclear if indeed it can be done at all...

 

In a nutshell, My son has never LIVED in Thailand since birth, doesn't speak or read/write Thai.

Has no intention of living in Thailand other than for vacation in the foreseeable future.

Has limited career opportunity in Thailand. Plans to move to the UK in July this year.

Wants to enroll for a career in The British Army this year.

 

Has anyone got any experience in this matter or can offer any "sensible" suggestions regarding this process.

Or happens to know where/who to contact directly for this matter.

 

I look forward to helpful comments.

 

Many thanks

 

Joe 

 

 

 

 

[BlueScouse]

Sorry, cannot answer your questions but one thing to note, when my son went to UK with the intention of joining the army he was told that there was a two year residency requirement before being allowed to apply. After two years, he contacted Capita, who were in charge of recruiting and was told it was a five year residency. So he never bothered. Now recruiting has been changed to Serco. If your son is living outside UK he will have to abide by the residency rules. It is 2 years, not 5, by the way.

[NanLaew]

The OP should ask the local Thai Consulate or Thai Embassy in London about how his son can relinquish his Thai citizenship. It appears it holds no immediate value or purpose. Then he can focus on the UK residency qualification for British military service.

 

Good luck. It's great to have a teenager who already knows what he wants to do career wise and hoping he can find work or study in the UK to fill his "gap" years before signing up.