Conscription Of Your Son

[Dibbler]

How many readers have son's that have been or will be conscripted to the Thai armed forces? How would you feel to know that the Army strategy is to send your delicate 21 year old as soon as possible to the front line in the far southern provinces? Today's news sends a chill up me to think some of those killed in the massacre in Pattani yesterday (Saturday) morning were young enough to be conscriptees with little training or experience in the cold task of warfare.

[Hostile17]

what kind of father would let his own son get sent to the army of a country who hates him. Many loopholes. Your son isnt 100% thai so why should he serve people who think outsiders are worthless cockroaches

[geriatrickid]

The conscripts sent to the South are sparingly used for direct actions. They provide the bodies to guard infrastructure and man checkpoints. Typically, the KIAs come from the full time forces and specialized units. I do not dispute your concerns but, attacks of this kind are not typical. More typical is the IED that killed 5 policemen in Yala last Wednesday.Also more typical are attacks on the general population. The dead soldiers came from Nakhon Si Thammarat and Satun, which is in the south for those that do not know their Thai geography. As such, these are people that grew up in the troubled region and that had families at risk.

And to put a name to these people; The dead soldiers and respective ages were Sgt Luechai Chunthong, 28, Pvt Ekkalak Sidokmai, 22, Pvt Phakhim Hongmak, 22, and Pvt Bencharong Sikaeo, 22. Wounded soldiers were Sgt Prida Nopphakhun, 30, and Pvt Akom Suklom, 22.

[samran]

what kind of father would let his own son get sent to the army of a country who hates him. Many loopholes. Your son isnt 100% thai so why should he serve people who think outsiders are worthless cockroaches

Rather hysterical and innacurate reply don't you think?

If the son is a Thai citizen, he's treatedly no different under the law. But as you say, there are loopholes. Many of them even legal.

[TwoDogz]

what kind of father would let his own son get sent to the army of a country who hates him. Many loopholes. Your son isnt 100% thai so why should he serve people who think outsiders are worthless cockroaches

Rather hysterical and innacurate reply don't you think?

If the son is a Thai citizen, he's treatedly no different under the law. But as you say, there are loopholes. Many of them even legal.

Such as ?

[samran]

what kind of father would let his own son get sent to the army of a country who hates him. Many loopholes. Your son isnt 100% thai so why should he serve people who think outsiders are worthless cockroaches

Rather hysterical and innacurate reply don't you think?

If the son is a Thai citizen, he's treatedly no different under the law. But as you say, there are loopholes. Many of them even legal.

Such as ?

- cadets during high school

- higher education

- living overseas till you are 30

- graduating from university and volunteering for 6 months which completes your obligation.

or

you can roll the dice and see if you pick a red ball out of the hat on conscription day. In which case you get 2 years as a grunt.

[Surin steve]

My son picked out the red ball and was conscripted into the Thai army last November there are loop holes and bribes 35,000 baht was the sum banded around but this is only accepted before the picking of the balls

My son decided that he didn't want to burden us with this and took his chance saying if he was picked he quite fancied the adventure I for one had experience in the British army so let him make up his own mind

We where quite concerned when he picked out the red ball but after a talk with several high ranking army officers we where told new recruits are never sent to the far south

My son did his basic training and was picked probably because of his Hight ( 6 foot +) for the royal Thai horse guards and he loves it he now as part of his duties stands guard outside the royal palace true still only a grunt but he has the opportunity to learn a trade better him self and gets 300 baht a day and free lodging to boot

I for one have seen a tremendous change in his whole attitude to life he's become a better man and I'm proud of him

[harryfrompattaya]

My son picked out the red ball and was conscripted into the Thai army last November there are loop holes and bribes 35,000 baht was the sum banded around but this is only accepted before the picking of the balls

My son decided that he didn't want to burden us with this and took his chance saying if he was picked he quite fancied the adventure I for one had experience in the British army so let him make up his own mind

We where quite concerned when he picked out the red ball but after a talk with several high ranking army officers we where told new recruits are never sent to the far south

My son did his basic training and was picked probably because of his Hight ( 6 foot +) for the royal Thai horse guards and he loves it he now as part of his duties stands guard outside the royal palace true still only a grunt but he has the opportunity to learn a trade better him self and gets 300 baht a day and free lodging to boot

I for one have seen a tremendous change in his whole attitude to life he's become a better man and I'm proud of him

Well said you are a great addition to Thailand. Many Thai fathers claim the love of Thailand but do want their sons to be true Thais. They should be living with son in their home country if they do want the Army for their son

[coolhandjoe]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

[submaniac]

^^I guess if every father felt like that there would be no soldiers.

[coolhandjoe]

^^I guess if every father felt like that there would be no soldiers.

Let the politicians and god botherers fight their own wars and not use our sons in their games.

[MrZM]

My son, the best thing and the saviour of my life, will not and I guarantee be entering the Thai army!

When my son is 21 he will be towards the end of a degree in a university in England! He will he British and no more! As well as Jewish.

A British passport is a passport to life. I couldn't give a monkeys! My wife who I live dearly will have an English passport by then, aswell as my son and me. Inevitably it will mean happuness!

[endure]

My son, the best thing and the saviour of my life, will not and I guarantee be entering the Thai army!

Have you asked him whether he wants to? Or do you intend to live his life for him?

[mjj]

SurinSteve, I'm happy it's all working out for you ad your son, but I'm unmovable from coolhandjoe's opinion of it all.

As regarding living his life. He can do whatever he wants just so long as his life isn't a pawn for a politician to play with.

Oh, and of course being a serial killer, rapist, arsehol_e are also off the radar.

[Soutpeel]

what kind of father would let his own son get sent to the army of a country who hates him. Many loopholes. Your son isnt 100% thai so why should he serve people who think outsiders are worthless cockroaches

The fact that they carry a Thai passport or nationality makes then 100% Thai, so why should they be treat differently from other persons who are 100% Thai, I am detecting the typical farang sense of entitlement/"it doesnt apply to us", want to be treated differently attitude so prevelant with a lot long term farang residents in Thailand.

If you definitely dont want your son to be conscripted, then the solution is easy give up their citizenship them

[Soutpeel]

My son, the best thing and the saviour of my life, will not and I guarantee be entering the Thai army!

When my son is 21 he will be towards the end of a degree in a university in England! He will he British and no more! As well as Jewish.

A British passport is a passport to life. I couldn't give a monkeys! My wife who I live dearly will have an English passport by then, aswell as my son and me. Inevitably it will mean happuness!

So one assumes then he is giving up his Thai nationality/passport then, and when visiting Thailand he is coming in on a visa ?

[Soutpeel]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

What if they want to go ?....so one assumes you will also ensure they give up their Thai citizenship then ?

[Somtamnication]

I will have a red and green ball at my "how".

When it is time for conscription, I will chose the red ball.

Then, borrowing bras, makeup and wigs, the best toy Rambo gear we can get from amazon.com; both he and I will trot down to the local office and present ourselves for conscription. About 5 minutes later, we will have the biggest ice cream at Swensens.

[colinneil]

If british fathers had the same attitude as some of these posters britain would have been under nazi occupation their attitude disgusts me. You live in the country you have children here it is their duty

[jackr]

Going by the way they treat their own, the likely animosity from some quarters, the inevitable brainwashing and/or possibility of ending up in some dodgy posting, no I wouldn't want him to go in, even if (by then) it meant giving up citizenship. But at the end of the day, it'd be his choice.

[apetley]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

What would you do if he wants to get conscripted as is the case with my friends family?

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[geriatrickid]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

Who do you think was doing the flood relief work last year? Conscripts.

Which units are deployed after general flooding or catastrophe? Conscripts.

If you have lived in Thailand such that your son is now conscription age, then you will have benefited from the concripts being deployed after a natural disaster. Why then, would you expect someone else's kids to save you and them?

You like living in Thailand, but who is there to patrol the oceans keeping pirates at bay, to secure the borders, and to undertake social advancement projects? The full time defence forces can only do their job if the conscripts are there to take care of the non combat activities.

[TommoPhysicist]

If british fathers had the same attitude as some of these posters britain would have been under nazi occupation their attitude disgusts me. You live in the country you have children here it is their duty

I think the Germans would do a better job than the UKs current lot.

My son is Thai, up to him what he does.

[thaicbr]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

What would you do if he wants to get conscripted as is the case with my friends family?

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Question. They want to get conscripted or they want to have a GK ( volunteer) career in the Armed forces. 2 different things.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[thaicbr]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

Who do you think was doing the flood relief work last year? Conscripts.

Which units are deployed after general flooding or catastrophe? Conscripts.

If you have lived in Thailand such that your son is now conscription age, then you will have benefited from the concripts being deployed after a natural disaster. Why then, would you expect someone else's kids to save you and them?

You like living in Thailand, but who is there to patrol the oceans keeping pirates at bay, to secure the borders, and to undertake social advancement projects? The full time defence forces can only do their job if the conscripts are there to take care of the non combat activities.

So your suggesting that conscripts are not put in harms way. Only the volunteers are!

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[thaicbr]

^^I guess if every father felt like that there would be no soldiers.

If Thailand got rid of conscription and had a fully professional army then no problem.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

[Monkeypants]

The fact that they carry a Thai passport or nationality makes then 100% Thai, so why should they be treat differently from other persons who are 100% Thai

The fact that he has a farang father, means he could never be a General in the army, I agree with the OP to some degree, why fight for a country who discriminates against you, of course when the time comes my son will be in the same position, I will let him choose, but he will know the facts before he chooses.

[apetley]

I have sons and i wil see hell freeze over before i let them get conscripted to the Thai army.

What would you do if he wants to get conscripted as is the case with my friends family?

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

Question. They want to get conscripted or they want to have a GK ( volunteer) career in the Armed forces. 2 different things.

sent from my Wellcom A90+

They want to do their two years.

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[samran]

The fact that they carry a Thai passport or nationality makes then 100% Thai, so why should they be treat differently from other persons who are 100% Thai

The fact that he has a farang father, means he could never be a General in the army, I agree with the OP to some degree, why fight for a country who discriminates against you, of course when the time comes my son will be in the same position, I will let him choose, but he will know the facts before he chooses.

This is a country which has had Thai-Indian's as a supreme court judge (and now member of the Privvy council), so I somehow think a luuk-krung won't be as bad off as many think.

[Monkeypants]

I take your point Samran,

But, why would anyone enter a proffesion, knowing that because of his father being a farang, he could never hold a senior position.