Poll: Soldier is top career choice

[cmsally]

Some newspapers seem to have pics of Thai kids handling machine guns on Wan Dek. Probably not the best publicity after the Paris events. Whoops Thailand does it again!

[ikke]

Top-career could have been PM, but since it comes free with being a soldier, easy choice !

[BirdsandBooze]

I'm surprised this is a Bangkok University poll as it has all the signs of ' Thai Researchers for Community Happiness ' about it.

I'm 94% sure,

Indeed. Maybe they will be able to do away with conscription here soon given so many want the job.

I think the news item tends to mislead. Many children aspire` to be military "officers / officials" They never mentioned doing the hard graft to become one. Of course, as in the UK, many will buy their commission due to family connections or wealth. When that happens you inevitably end up with what the British soldiers refer to as "Ruperts" running the show while the experienced NCOs smile knowingly and get the job done. There must be many forum members who would agree with some of that statement.

I was commissioned from the ranks and was never a Rupert . Yes, they are the ones from a privileged background who haven't a clue what they are doing, but buying a commission in the British Army went out in the late 19th century, although as you say, having the right background does give a massive leg up. The household regiments are full of braying officers with hyphenated names.

[Jackson86]

maybe a propaganda to increase legitimacy of the military government?

[starky]

why wouldn't you choose to be a military official.... play your cards right you will end up running the country one day

[Don Aleman]

Yeah ! No qualifications,Good pay, clothing, food, benefits, little/no work is better than most/all other possible Thai vocations ! Good promotional possibilities to General as Thai has 1,600 positions at that rank.

[Bob12345]

Was doctor last week to repeat an earlier poster!

Why not be both?

A lot of soldiers have side-job anyways (trafficking, running a country, being a minister, overseeing wood loggers, smuggling, controlling beach vendors, collecting money or helping negotiations go along, etc).

It seems being a soldier is not a full-time job.

[djjamie]

Well my boy wants to be a soldier.

The military had some hardware on show at Central Plaza in Khon Kaen and my boy went straight over. When I asked him why he wants to be a soldier he said "because the army stop bad people killing protestors"

Spot on. He is wise beyond his years.

Here are some pics of him at the military display. Obviously I have covered his face in light of the fact that some on this forum preferred the daily terrorist attacks by the UDD to peace and stability and I fear those people having my sons picture.

[candide]

Well, to become General is surely a top career choice in Thailand......

[ggt]

Who is the leader of this country...? One can not aspire to be King...but can possibly become the PM thru the military...

[Buakaw]

I fear those people having my sons picture.

Why would anyone post pictures of their kids on the Internet!?

[Bigfarang1948]

Used to be police officer

HMMMMM. I must be gettting senile. I would have sworn I just saw, only a couple of days ago, that most Thai kids wanted to be doctors, or the whims of children change or the choices fed to them to help them make up their minds has changed.

[wabothai]

Most of them will then end up just being a soldier with no rank and minimum salary for the rest of their lives. Great career !!!

i remember years ago a young lady was asked what she wanted to be. Answer: manager.

[brucec64]

Well my boy wants to be a soldier.

The military had some hardware on show at Central Plaza in Khon Kaen and my boy went straight over. When I asked him why he wants to be a soldier he said "because the army stop bad people killing protestors"

Spot on. He is wise beyond his years.

Here are some pics of him at the military display. Obviously I have covered his face in light of the fact that some on this forum preferred the daily terrorist attacks by the UDD to peace and stability and I fear those people having my sons picture.

Seems more like the lesson being learned here is that if you cannot win something fairly, then you should just take it with force.

The biggest risk that your son faces is not froms members of this forum, but more from misguided parenting.

[gemini81]

What?!?! Just last week it was doctor. Let me guess, lawyer next week, then banker. monthly BS rotation, haha.

[kkerry]

Here are some pics of him at the military display. Obviously I have covered his face in light of the fact that some on this forum preferred the daily terrorist attacks by the UDD to peace and stability and I fear those people having my sons picture.

Before I was never quite sure if you were trolling or not... but now...

[maidee]

no brains needed

they learned that in school

just follow orders from the top ...

[outsider]

Military profession has become most popular, while electronic devices such as iPads, smart phones and computer tablets are the most-wanted gifts. If this poll is accurate, then Thailand will be full of anti-social servicemen who do nothing but bury their faces in the screens of their electronic devices. Just saying...