Desertion is a serious crime, much more serious than avoiding the draft, and I would think it probably is punishable by up to 10 years in a military prison, although I would doubt they would have to serve nearly that long in peace time - deserting during riots may be taken more seriously. However, like everything else in Thailand, there is a statute of limitations on this which is I think 10 years, as suggested by someone else. I actually knew a Thai who did this and waited out the statute of limitations working for a boss who allowed him to work without a real ID. When the period came to an end, he applied for an ID card at the amphur with no problem and quit his job to earn more on the open market. I think there are quite a lot people doing this after finding the army was not to their liking. Most can probably hide out without getting caught, if they use a fake or relative's ID, as I don't think the army usually looks too hard for them, but their employment options are rather limited.

Playing the devils advocate here, but what would happen if the tables were turned and it was conscription in the US and not in Thailand, and imagine comments US citizens on TV would be making if you were discussing trying to dodge the US draft....

Pretty sure you would be hearing..."revoke his citizenship"...."coward"....."disloyal to the US" as some of the more polite comments.

I would never let my son join the armed forces here, unless he could move straight into a generals position.

I think the US training and Thai training methods are somewhat different standard, as are safety measure and deployment.

Imagine your son being charged to a retard for live firing practice of grenade training.

Look at the deployment of inexperienced troops to the front line of the recent red shirt war.....sacrifical lambs comes to mind.

more fool you if you think same same US or any other real countries armed forces.......my boy will simply never do it.....never.