Thai military draft a lottery many hope to lose

For some young men in Thailand, conscription is literally a lottery. Each April, around the time of Buddhist New Year, Thailand's armed forces launch a search for healthy men aged between 21 and 30 years old.



This year the military needs almost 100,000 new recruits. Many of the places are filled by volunteers. The rest are drafted through a lottery that many hope to lose. By law all Thai men who do not volunteer for military service must attend the conscription lottery at least once after they turn 21. Nobody wants a red card, which means serving for two years.

Picking a black card exempts them from military service. Previously transgender 'katoeys', or ladyboys, were exempted on the grounds of a "psychological abnormality", but that has now been replaced by a "misshapen chest". Instead of letting fate decide their future, many worried parents and young men apparently attempt to dodge the draft.



Stories of bribes are common, although authorities insist they are clamping down. "We received some reports of corruption, and now we are investigating them," said Lieutenant Colonel Norapon Jitpanya, head of the military registrar department. Anybody caught trying to escape conscription faces three years in prison, followed by a stint in the army, Norapon added.