Military Drafting of "Luk Khrung" Thai Citizens

[skyaslimit]

We have discussed this before but, to be honest ... till now, I didn't have kids.

Now I have TWIN boys.

I wonder if they did some time in the Army Cadets in a Western country ... would that make them less desirable or disqualify to serve in the Thai armed forces?

Basically ... since they served in one Army ... then divided loyalties?

Three years of part time cadets at high school, or six months full time voluntary service post university graduation gets you out of the two years of draft.

True my younger son had already passed three years of part time military service and now he is exempted from the draft, the elder one is going through the drafting process since last year (postponing), my original question was that if they are eligible for all these military services then why the criteria for admission in Regular Royal Navy and Army schools is different? why both the parents should be Thai Nationals?

http://www.rtna.ac.th/annouce/01.php

http://www.enn.co.th/9288

These academies are by default open to voluntary enlistment only. Nothing to do with draftees.

Termbly, don't you see some conflict in that. At one time my son was seriously interested in becoming a professional soldier and attending one of those academies but the entrance criteria was that both parents had to be Thai citizens. As such he was barred. Fine. But if he is not allowed to serve the country as an officer, why the hell should he be required to go through the draft and serve as a draftee. That is to say, if you qualify for the draft, you should likewise qualify to attend officer school.

NB: A number of years ago Samran pointed out that there are in fact some luk kreung officers, but I understand they were not admitted through normal channels.

When my son first went to report to the conscription office at the district office in Warinchamrap (Ubol), similar to another poster's experience, the officer in charge refused to accept my son's acknowledgement to report for conscription saying that as his father was British, he did not need to as he took his father's citizenship not his mother's. Obviously, the officer knew not what he was talking about and when led through the laws on citizenship and duties of a male citizen, he finally acquiesced to issuing the proper papers. My son also had to pay a fine for late reporting. It was 100 or 200 Baht if I recall correctly.

Under the rules of the draft, you can delay taking the actual draft lottery by five years (to 25 years old) provided you are studying. For most universities, it is a block five year period. However, for Ramkamhaeng University you have to pass a fixed number of credits for each of those 5 years for the deferment to continue. If in any year the number of credits falls below the minimum, your deferment stops and you are subject to the draft.

As to the 30 year age limit, it is my understanding that this is for people who have returned from abroad, as it is not possible to defer the draft for longer than 5 years if you are located in Thailand all that time, and have not done a runner.

My son will be going to the local draft center on 1 April, now in Bangkok, and will be allowed his final years deferment, that is if he decides to defer. Getting the draft center changed from Ubol to Bangkok is a whole nuther story.

This was my first querry, the conflict in criteria, a male luk khrung thai citizen is subject to conscription but on the other hand not eligible for a regular armed forces school.

[Trembly]

We have discussed this before but, to be honest ... till now, I didn't have kids.

Now I have TWIN boys.

I wonder if they did some time in the Army Cadets in a Western country ... would that make them less desirable or disqualify to serve in the Thai armed forces?

Basically ... since they served in one Army ... then divided loyalties?

Three years of part time cadets at high school, or six months full time voluntary service post university graduation gets you out of the two years of draft.

True my younger son had already passed three years of part time military service and now he is exempted from the draft, the elder one is going through the drafting process since last year (postponing), my original question was that if they are eligible for all these military services then why the criteria for admission in Regular Royal Navy and Army schools is different? why both the parents should be Thai Nationals?

http://www.rtna.ac.th/annouce/01.php

http://www.enn.co.th/9288

These academies are by default open to voluntary enlistment only. Nothing to do with draftees.

Termbly, don't you see some conflict in that. At one time my son was seriously interested in becoming a professional soldier and attending one of those academies but the entrance criteria was that both parents had to be Thai citizens. As such he was barred. Fine. But if he is not allowed to serve the country as an officer, why the hell should he be required to go through the draft and serve as a draftee. That is to say, if you qualify for the draft, you should likewise qualify to attend officer school.

NB: A number of years ago Samran pointed out that there are in fact some luk kreung officers, but I understand they were not admitted through normal channels.

When my son first went to report to the conscription office at the district office in Warinchamrap (Ubol), similar to another poster's experience, the officer in charge refused to accept my son's acknowledgement to report for conscription saying that as his father was British, he did not need to as he took his father's citizenship not his mother's. Obviously, the officer knew not what he was talking about and when led through the laws on citizenship and duties of a male citizen, he finally acquiesced to issuing the proper papers. My son also had to pay a fine for late reporting. It was 100 or 200 Baht if I recall correctly.

Under the rules of the draft, you can delay taking the actual draft lottery by five years (to 25 years old) provided you are studying. For most universities, it is a block five year period. However, for Ramkamhaeng University you have to pass a fixed number of credits for each of those 5 years for the deferment to continue. If in any year the number of credits falls below the minimum, your deferment stops and you are subject to the draft.

As to the 30 year age limit, it is my understanding that this is for people who have returned from abroad, as it is not possible to defer the draft for longer than 5 years if you are located in Thailand all that time, and have not done a runner.

My son will be going to the local draft center on 1 April, now in Bangkok, and will be allowed his final years deferment, that is if he decides to defer. Getting the draft center changed from Ubol to Bangkok is a whole nuther story.

Of course I can see the discrepancy, but I was just pointing out that they didn't apply to the OP's son.

[wym]

Seems logical to me, they don't want foreigners contaminating their leadership, but as cannon fodder why not?

[brit1984]

as a total wimp, i can't imagine anything worse than military service

i assume my (half-thai and 1 year old) son will have a similar mindset

otherwise i would fully support him if he chooses to go into the military...

starting at sandhurst

[wolf5370]

Wish the UK still had it (National Service) - bring some respect and sense of honour to the kids and give them skills to boot - and a gateway into jobs (including staying on in the military). Can't be much more expensive than paying all those doll cheques every month for doing sod all - let alone the cost of cleaning up the vandalism, and street crime by unemployed youths in out cities and towns.

[benalibina]

Wish the UK still had it (National Service) - bring some respect and sense of honour to the kids and give them skills to boot - and a gateway into jobs (including staying on in the military). Can't be much more expensive than paying all those doll cheques every month for doing sod all - let alone the cost of cleaning up the vandalism, and street crime by unemployed youths in out cities and towns.

When that all has been done....its time again to rebuilt the " great ol empire ". Thailand included this time.

[wolf5370]

Wish the UK still had it (National Service) - bring some respect and sense of honour to the kids and give them skills to boot - and a gateway into jobs (including staying on in the military). Can't be much more expensive than paying all those doll cheques every month for doing sod all - let alone the cost of cleaning up the vandalism, and street crime by unemployed youths in out cities and towns.

When that all has been done....its time again to rebuilt the " great ol empire ". Thailand included this time.

Empires have had their day - replaced by global economics, trade (WTO agreements) and nuclear threat - no need to own a country to bully it into favourable trade agreements. No one wants empires any more - they are too expensive and troublesome.

[Trembly]

Wish the UK still had it (National Service) - bring some respect and sense of honour to the kids and give them skills to boot - and a gateway into jobs (including staying on in the military). Can't be much more expensive than paying all those doll cheques every month for doing sod all - let alone the cost of cleaning up the vandalism, and street crime by unemployed youths in out cities and towns.

When that all has been done....its time again to rebuilt the " great ol empire ". Thailand included this time.

Empires have had their day - replaced by global economics, trade (WTO agreements) and nuclear threat - no need to own a country to bully it into favourable trade agreements. No one wants empires any more - they are too expensive and troublesome.

The 20th century was the century of the economic empire.

Off topic really, but I recommend searching 'confessions of an economic hitman' on google.

[skyaslimit]

I accompanied my son second time within 2 years for the drafting yesterday, and I confirm you all that all the "luk khrung " male Thai citizens are subject to serve regardless of their birth place and parentage, I discussed it in detail with the military officers present for the occasion and all of them confirms it, we postponed it because my son is still studying.

Sent from my A088 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[samran]

I accompanied my son second time within 2 years for the drafting yesterday, and I confirm you all that all the "luk khrung " male Thai citizens are subject to serve regardless of their birth place and parentage, I discussed it in detail with the military officers present for the occasion and all of them confirms it, we postponed it because my son is still studying.

Sent from my A088 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for that. Does he have the option of doing cadets? Even some unis offer it from what I've been told.

[GarryP]

I accompanied my son second time within 2 years for the drafting yesterday, and I confirm you all that all the "luk khrung " male Thai citizens are subject to serve regardless of their birth place and parentage, I discussed it in detail with the military officers present for the occasion and all of them confirms it, we postponed it because my son is still studying.

Sent from my A088 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I went with my son on 1 April 2014. He could have postponed the draft for another year but he decided to get it over with. Luckily he drew a black card so does not need to serve. At the draft center on Tuesday they gave out the figures. For the particular district we were in they were drafting 63 people, but 23 had already signed on at the conscription office, leaving 40. The total number of eligible people was over 400, but after sifting out those who were not physically or mentally suitable for service and students who were still deferring their draft, it left only 115 people or a rate of just under 3 black cards for each red one. Apart from my son I only saw one other luk kreung there.

A stressful experience, especially for my son, but happily it is now behind him.

[skyaslimit]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I accompanied my son second time within 2 years for the drafting yesterday, and I confirm you all that all the "luk khrung " male Thai citizens are subject to serve regardless of their birth place and parentage, I discussed it in detail with the military officers present for the occasion and all of them confirms it, we postponed it because my son is still studying.

Sent from my A088 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for that. Does he have the option of doing cadets? Even some unis offer it from what I've been told.

The cadets who have completed their 3 years part time military training at M-4, M-5 and M-6, are allowed to continue 2 more years at university level, if they want to pursue the rank of Sub-Lieutenant.

[samran]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

I accompanied my son second time within 2 years for the drafting yesterday, and I confirm you all that all the "luk khrung " male Thai citizens are subject to serve regardless of their birth place and parentage, I discussed it in detail with the military officers present for the occasion and all of them confirms it, we postponed it because my son is still studying.

Sent from my A088 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Thanks for that. Does he have the option of doing cadets? Even some unis offer it from what I've been told.

The cadets who have completed their 3 years part time military training at M-4, M-5 and M-6, are allowed to continue 2 more years at university level, if they want to pursue the rank of Sub-Lieutenant.

That's interesting. I never went to uni in Thailand but a colleagues son went to chula - British/Thai. From what I was told he didn't get the chance to do it at high school but was now doing it at chula.