Paradorn exempted from army service

BANGKOK: -- Paradorn Srichaphan's pro tennis career is safe after the Thai star was today exempted from military conscription.

"I'm excited and relieved that I've overcome this hurdle," Paradorn told AP by telephone. "From now on, I can concentrate more on training and competing."

All Thai men over the age of 21 must take their chances with conscription if they do not enlist. If a district fills its quota of enlistees, conscripts need not serve. But if it comes up short, conscripts must take up the slack and face a two-year tour of duty.

Apparently confident that the odds favoured him, Paradorn, 24, reported today to the recruiting office in Bangkok's Prawet district, which had 63 places to fill. Sixty-five volunteers showed up, exempting Paradorn - the world-ranked No. 12 player -from military duty this year and in the future.

Paradorn, who lost to America's Vince Spadea in the Nasdaq-100 Open quarterfinals at Key Biscayne, Florida, last week, has for the past few years claimed an educational exemption from duty because he is a tennis teacher. Critics had suggested he was skirting the requirements for such an exemption by teaching fewer hours than he was supposed to.

--AP 2004-04-07

Drop shots, lobs, and faults.. if a certain politician's son can get away with killing one of Thailand's finest on the job....The same rationale for the tennis teacher on vacation works as well.. TIT.. That's up the butt bob

not related to paradorn, but the story reminds me of a classic piece of sports radio.

radio scotland has an infrequently funny footie show called off the ball, hosted by tam and jim.

after some classic game or other between dunfermline and saint johnstone, or dundee united and saint mirren, during which a touchline ballboy got skelped in the face by a slightly wayward but nevertheless fizzing toe-booted shot from big Aiden MacCaffrey, they were having a discussion about going to games when they were nippers.

"so, tam, were you ever a ballboy?"

"nah, jim. i was always a leg man."

there you go. you can use it if you want; just insert your own teams and have fun with the joke.

Short of giving is life, he did accomplish more than they could have ever asked of him for his country. Why hesitate so long to let him skip the service?

They now think they've done him a favour , when he's the one training, on his own!

Emm i wonder if it does him any good.. I was in my country miitary service for 3 years and still go for reservist every year. my barrack mate was a martial art national Champion when he serve military for 3 years he went on to be World Champion.

Ad another was a Sea Games bronze medallist while serving National Service.. Well Paradon should go on with his Thai National service this is good to train on his self disipline

Emm i wonder if it does him any good.. I was in my country miitary service for 3 years and still go for reservist every year. my barrack mate was a martial art national Champion when he serve military for 3 years he went on to be World Champion.

Ad another was a Sea Games bronze medallist while serving National Service.. Well Paradon should go on with his Thai National service this is good to train on his self disipline

OK,. A lot of wierd stuff in this thread.

You have to report to be available for mil. service. However, whether you get selected or not is a lottery; not everyone who reports to be available will then have to do it.

Many people therefore choose a province/area where they know there are far more people reporting than places available.

If they report and aren't made to do it that is the same as reporting and made to do it.

So...He hasn't avoided or dodged anything. He has done his duty.

Paradorn exempted from army service

BANGKOK: -- Paradorn Srichaphan's pro tennis career is safe after the Thai star was today exempted from military conscription.

"I'm excited and relieved that I've overcome this hurdle," Paradorn told AP by telephone. "From now on, I can concentrate more on training and competing."

All Thai men over the age of 21 must take their chances with conscription if they do not enlist. If a district fills its quota of enlistees, conscripts need not serve. But if it comes up short, conscripts must take up the slack and face a two-year tour of duty.

Apparently confident that the odds favoured him, Paradorn, 24, reported today to the recruiting office in Bangkok's Prawet district, which had 63 places to fill. Sixty-five volunteers showed up, exempting Paradorn - the world-ranked No. 12 player -from military duty this year and in the future.

Paradorn, who lost to America's Vince Spadea in the Nasdaq-100 Open quarterfinals at Key Biscayne, Florida, last week, has for the past few years claimed an educational exemption from duty because he is a tennis teacher. Critics had suggested he was skirting the requirements for such an exemption by teaching fewer hours than he was supposed to.

--AP 2004-04-07

Why not?He has done more for Thailand than Toxin!!!

So...He hasn't avoided or dodged anything. He has done his duty.

Well that doesn't explain his "dodgy" use of the "educational" exemption in the years prior to his exemption?

Given his absolutely atrocious record, his propensity to choke under pressure and his ability to blow matches when leading, it is probably better he handles a racket rather than a loaded firearm?

He has inched back up the ATP rankings though, but still rarely can close someone decent out.