Thai Citizens Compulsory Joining Army "clarification"

[ucomservices]

My son is aged 15 years and a Thai Citizen by Birth, since he was born in Thailand. My wife and my younger son also hold Thai Nationalities. He is at present holding Thai Nationality, but staying with me in India for the past 15 years. He is studying in India and finishing his schooling here as Good English Medium Schooling is not expensive here. I am Indian Citizen holding Indian Nationality staying with him in India. I want to clarify some doubts that I have :-

1. Is it compulsory for a Thai National to join the Thai Army when he attains the age of 21 years ?

2. What happens if a Thai National is staying outside Thailand since his birth ?

3. Are Thai Nationals who are staying outside Thailand exempted from joining the Thai Army ?

4. If it is compulsory to Join the Thai Army, how many years does a person have to serve ?

These doubts have been raised by my Thai Wife. I would appreciate an appropriate updated reply on this issue.

Thanks

[astral]

This is the general procedure.

As your son is 15 your wife should take him to the local Amphur office where you live, and register him to get his ID card.

She will need his birth certificate and Tabien Bahn.

At the same time he has to register his liability for military service.

At 19/20 he will have to present himself for medical examination and the yearly ballot for military service.

I think the Black ballot means you go and the Red you are exempt.

50/50 chance.

If he is overseas at the age of 19/20 then he must present himself in the next year that his in Thailand.

I believe the liability for service exists until he is 28.

There was Thai athelete, I think it was the tennis player Pharadon, who put it off for several year, but eventually had to go and be counted, so to speak.

Currently they serve 18 months.

Some young men simply do not go, but they run the small risk of arrest.

They will also find it difficult to obtain a job as most employers want to see the certificate of military service, or exemption.

As you are based in India I would check with the Thai Embassy in Delhi, they should know.

Does he have any plans to visit or live in Thailand as these will be factors as well.

[ucomservices]

Thanks very much for your detailed elaborated reply. I woluld like to know all the details before time, so that I can plan my things accordingly. I am holding Indian nationality.(My son in question and my younger son aged 8 years and my wife, all hold Thai Nationalities at present). I have kept all 3 of them with me in India since the time we got married on Multiple Entry Indian Visas. I have done so because in the future it will be better for my kids to work in Thailand or India, whichever country they choose. They can work in India without a work permit because their father is of Indian Origin (According to India's regulations of Ministry of External Affairs) or they can work in Thailand because they are citizens of that country or else they could migrate to greener pastures if they choose to. Holding a foreign passport of a developing economic country is an advantage to migrate to any other foreign land that you choose. It is problematic to migrate to other countries if you hold an indian passport because of the economic and other looks of india. I will call up the Embassy of Thailand in New Delhi, India and check what they have to say about this issue. In fact I find this procedure of compulsory joining the army is a little outdated, when I compare it to the army joining rules that we have in India. I don't know why have they made it compulsory for citizens to join the Army in Thailand and if you don't you stand to incur the wrath of Arrest. In fact I do not have any grudges for joining the army, because it would make you have better moral and ethical values in life.

[samran]

The answer all depends if they are registered at the ampur in Thailand and have ID numbers. If they are, they are expected to put forward their names for registration at 17.

Then at 18, they must report for conscription day, which is usually in April. They are then forced to choose a ball out of a hat. Black ball means you have not been chosen, red ball means that you have to do two years duty. The amount of red balls in the hat depends on the number of volunteers already in that district, plus the overall needs of the army for that year.

If they are continuing on to university of further study, they can defer their reporting until they have graduated. This has to be organised with the draft officials at the municipality, but it quite straight forward.

On conscription day they have a few choices:

1) They can volunteer. If they have a university degree AND volunteer, they only have to serve 6 months.

2) They can try their luck. If they choose to do so, and get a red ball, no matter what level of education, they must serve thre two full years.

There are exemptions for those who report and are older than 30. Meaning, if you have not been able to report for duty until you are 30, due to being at university, then when you do eventually turn up for conscription day, you are automatically exempted.

[ucomservices]

Well, they are registered at the Amphur in Thailand and have ID numbers because they use these nos in the passports in thailand. They also have their names in the Tabean Baan (House Register) since birth. They do not have ID cards, since they are granted to Thai citizens at 17 years of age. The elder one was born in Thailand. The younger one was born in India but I applied for Thai nationality for him at the Thai Embassy in New Delhi, India. In one month I got Thai nationality for him without any problem. I think the main factor for attaining the Thai nationality was because his mother was holding Thai nationality. I plan to take them at the right age to Thailand to get their ID cards, since ID cards are compulsory.

About their graduation, I think that they will complete it in India, since it is very cheap and good quality education here compared to Thailand moneywise. By the time, the elder one turns 17, he should be ready studying for graduation. It takes 3 years to complete graduation. But I will take him to Thailand when he is 17 and ready to go for graduation.