Reserve act opens 12 million Thai men to summary military conscription

[smutcakes]

This new measure allows the military to call up 300000 men a year. There's lots of speculation as to why on this forum, and perhaps I tend to the view that they are thinking about having the manpower to cover the whole country whilst they manage the aftermath of the inevitable event.

However, the resources needed to train that number of conscripts even to a very basic level would be immense. Then you would have to equip them (300000 rifles going spare?), house them, feed and administer them. Once you have got your 300000 minimally trained and totally inexperienced, and possibly very unwilling, soldiers you will need to find officers and NCOs to lead them at platoon and company level, more senior officers to command the new units and formations (should play havoc with the golf schedules!), together with the resources to move them to where you need to deploy them and once they are in place, to resupply them. Forget your "Black Widow Spider" personnel carriers, for this lot you would need to commandeer every tour bus in the country!

Let us assume that you get enough conscripts to form some 2000 rifle companies. That means apart from weapons, you will need to find 2000 Captains to command the companies, 6000 platoon commanders, 24000 NCOs, 10000 manpack radios, the list goes on. Armies are very expensive, in conscript armies the manpower is cheap, but everything else still costs. It would be an immense undertaking which would literally bring the country to a halt.

I can't help thinking that they haven't thought it through....

Perhaps they are willing to accept this and compromise by taking the budget for it all but not bothering taking on the recruits.

[Wilsonandson]

All those students using social media about politics and democracy will be first in line for military service. Great idea to control the masses.

[JAG]

All those students using social media about politics and democracy will be first in line for military service. Great idea to control the masses.

They wouldl be spending so much time and effort trying to control 300000 unwilling conscripts that they would be unable to do anything about controlling anything outside the barracks perimeter fence!

[trainman]

My Thai Son In law has just enlisted voluntary,Thai government does not give one baht for three months, So what does any young Thai man with a family Do for support, what happens to the wife back home who maybe has a child,

Money is not everything or anything He is doing it for Thailand and that is enough for him

You Son in law will be bless and be better person

You remember money is a Western idea

"money is a Western idea"

Strange comment. Money is simply a medium of exchange for goods and services. Trading goods and services with one's neighbors is as old as civilization itself.

If you are trying to say that people in Thailand place less value on wealth and materialism compared to people in the West, then I would very strongly disagree. Money and status (which can mostly be acquired through money) is almost ALL that matters here. This may well have been influenced by increased exposure to the West over the last few centuries, but modern day Thailand is far, far, far more materialistic than idealistic.

Money on money aka interest is a Western idea.

I believe the concept of interest actually started in the Middle East, but I don't think HenryB was talking about interest when he said "money is a Western idea".

Anyway, it's all a bit off-topic I suppose!

[BSJ]

If the 300.000 lads aren't to happy about being there it could get a bit uncomfortable if they have guns and ammo!

[IAMHERE]

Who are they planning on invading?

The Isaan ?

[ozyjon]

12 million Thai men summoned to military conscription

SUDDENLY

12 million Thai men to become monks

[William C F Pierce]

Neat! Another 12 million soldiers to be deployed in time for the next general election. Should be enough to stop Suthep Thaugsuban's antics. Then the next government will reduce the armed forces for the same problems to start all over again. Catch 22?

[Stargeezr]

Wow, The draft again! I just do not see what is going on.

Maybe for once I am glad that Foreigners are not allowed to ever become Thai.

I almost got drafted in Canada, but the governments changed their minds in time

and the USA started pulling out of Vietnam about then. It was scary times and even some of

my relatives and friends became religious and joined the JW's to avoid the chance of the draft.

Glad to be a Geezer!

[cumgranosalum]

Only passed to be able to call up to that number; not actually doing so nor are they likely to be all called at the same time, unless there is something brewing that none of us are aware of?? !!!

No one is suggesting a universal call up...its the effect that a year or more out of the lives of all these people will have on farms economy family industry etc etc over a period of time. If people know if think they will be called up they suspend their normal activities until they can see the way clkear. By then they may not be able to take those opportunities.

As with the last coup it appears the military are granting themselves unlimited funding increases...this all needs supporting by the Thasi economy...

[cumgranosalum]

Neat! Another 12 million soldiers to be deployed in time for the next general election. Should be enough to stop Suthep Thaugsuban's antics. Then the next government will reduce the armed forces for the same problems to start all over again. Catch 22?

On the other hand do you think it's a good idea to train 12 million of the opposition to use a gun¿

[chainarong]

What is this point that Prayut - O seems to be making, perhaps he requires more men to replace the ones that will refuse to fire at their Mothers , Fathers , Brothers, Sisters and other family members and defected to the other side , just like it happened all those years ago, It's called forward planning ...................

I shouldn't imagine any such conscripts would be any more enthusiastic or ( politically) motivated soldiers than the lot they have already!

Of course, they may be trying to increase the number of soldiers, so that it more realistically reflects the number of generals.

It is hard to call this one as 4 stars I have known over sometime don't want conscription cause the lads don't want to be there and the commanders don't want people who hate the place, hard to see what this is all about, except that it will interrupt all uni students in their respective careers..

[chrisrazz]

This new measure allows the military to call up 300000 men a year. There's lots of speculation as to why on this forum, and perhaps I tend to the view that they are thinking about having the manpower to cover the whole country whilst they manage the aftermath of the inevitable event.

However, the resources needed to train that number of conscripts even to a very basic level would be immense. Then you would have to equip them (300000 rifles going spare?), house them, feed and administer them. Once you have got your 300000 minimally trained and totally inexperienced, and possibly very unwilling, soldiers you will need to find officers and NCOs to lead them at platoon and company level, more senior officers to command the new units and formations (should play havoc with the golf schedules!), together with the resources to move them to where you need to deploy them and once they are in place, to resupply them. Forget your "Black Widow Spider" personnel carriers, for this lot you would need to commandeer every tour bus in the country!

Let us assume that you get enough conscripts to form some 2000 rifle companies. That means apart from weapons, you will need to find 2000 Captains to command the companies, 6000 platoon commanders, 24000 NCOs, 10000 manpack radios, the list goes on. Armies are very expensive, in conscript armies the manpower is cheap, but everything else still costs. It would be an immense undertaking which would literally bring the country to a halt.

I can't help thinking that they haven't thought it through....

This. Add to it the investment opportunity the Uniform Factory offers for the connected Generals. Who's going to pay for the uniforms anyway? The conscripts?

[chainarong]

What is this point that Prayut - O seems to be making, perhaps he requires more men to replace the ones that will refuse to fire at their Mothers , Fathers , Brothers, Sisters and other family members and defected to the other side , just like it happened all those years ago, It's called forward planning ...................

He intends to use them to man the polling station in the forthcoming elections, that's my guess.

The Thai economy and its UNi educated ( 3 yrs conscription ) will go down the gurgler, Prayut- O treads a dangerous course.

[harada]

What is this point that Prayut - O seems to be making, perhaps he requires more men to replace the ones that will refuse to fire at their Mothers , Fathers , Brothers, Sisters and other family members and defected to the other side , just like it happened all those years ago, It's called forward planning ...................

He intends to use them to man the polling station in the forthcoming elections, that's my guess.

The Thai economy and its UNi educated ( 3 yrs conscription ) will go down the gurgler, Prayut- O treads a dangerous course.

. Chances are that those who can afford to attend Uni will suddenly become asthma suffererers or the like rendering them exempt from conscription.

[kinmaew]

Who exactly are they at war with to require this amount of army personnel?

[kcirtapyelrah]

Who exactly are they at war with to require this amount of army personnel?

Themselves.

[Siamwhiteelephant]

Military ideas of grandeur imported from new bf China?? Any impending massive war threat in these flat-economy days?

Edited November 22, 2015 by Siamwhiteelephant

[heybruce]

Military ideas of grandeur imported from new bf China?? Any impending massive war threat in these flat-economy days?

Thailand is so un-threatened by its neighbors it could easily survive without a military. But then who would stage the coups?

[Langsuan Man]

I can't believe the Thai Visa Warriors must be asleep this morning

12 million new recruits are potentially 12 million bribe payers to get the coveted black marble

[Thongkorn]

Money on money aka interest is a Western idea.

I believe the concept of interest actually started in the Middle East, but I don't think HenryB was talking about interest when he said "money is a Western idea".

Anyway, it's all a bit off-topic I suppose!

Seem to be missing the Point you can be patriotic and go do your bit for your country, But how does the wife and child live without any family or money do they live on fresh air, yes some are fortunate that there family supports their offspring but many do not ahve close family or are to poor, Ok for big money people they just pay not to do National Service,

[chainarong]

What is this point that Prayut - O seems to be making, perhaps he requires more men to replace the ones that will refuse to fire at their Mothers , Fathers , Brothers, Sisters and other family members and defected to the other side , just like it happened all those years ago, It's called forward planning ...................

I shouldn't imagine any such conscripts would be any more enthusiastic or ( politically) motivated soldiers than the lot they have already!

Of course, they may be trying to increase the number of soldiers, so that it more realistically reflects the number of generals.

Increase the conscription quota more students off campus, now they can keep an eye on the threat in their own back yard.

[Colabamumbai]

My Thai Son In law has just enlisted voluntary,Thai government does not give one baht for three months, So what does any young Thai man with a family Do for support, what happens to the wife back home who maybe has a child,

She gets a Samee Noi.