Country report and updates: Thailand

Last revision: 18 Nov 2009
18 Nov 2009
18/11/2009
  • The right to conscientious objection is not recognised for professional soldiers, nor for serving conscripts.

Military recruitment

Conscription

Conscription is enshrined in article 73 of the Constitution of 2007, which reads: “Every person shall have a duty to serve in armed forces (...)1. It is further regulated in the Military Service Act B.E. 2497 (1954).

Every Thai male is required to enlist in the military reserve force at the age of 18 years. At the age of 21 years, they are screened for physical disabilities and recruited on a demand basis for two years of military service as private soldiers2. All men aged 21 to 30 are liable for a two years' military service, with reservist duties applying afterwards. Buddhist monks, students in certain technical studies and naturalised students are exempted. The exemption of naturalised students is meant to exclude Chinese from joining the armed forces3.

It is possible to volunteer for military service from the age of 18, in which case military service will be between six and 18 months, depending on ones education level. Volunteer soldiers with a bachelor's degree are in service for only six months and those who have diplomas or have completed the second year of the army's territorial defence training serve only one year4.

Call-up takes place once a year. Each is given a quota of the number of recruits needed by the armed forces. As the number of liable conscripts is far higher than the number needed by the armed forces, recruitment is by ballot: those drawing a red ticket had to perform military service; those drawing a black ticket did not. In the 80s and 90s the recruitment system increasingly became subject to public debate. Obviously the system was likely to lead to favouritism on the hands of influential or rich people. As a result most of the conscripts in the armed forces had a poor and uneducated background5.

Military service can be postponed for males who are studying in higher education institutions, but for no longer than five years.

Alternatively, young males can engage in an extracurricular course for students of upper secondary and higher education. The course is offered by the Territorial Defence Department, Ministry of Defence, requiring five years to complete. The minimum requirement for this course is the participation for three years as a reserve officer training corps (ROTC) student. Titles of provisional second sergeant, first sergeant and second lieutenant are granted to those who complete three, four and five years of ROTC respectively.

ROTC graduates are exempted from military service as private soldiers. They form part of the reserve forces without having served in the army. Some are later called to join the army when needed, but only a few are recruited each year. Males and females aged 15 to 22 years, with Grade 9 education are eligible to participate in the ROTC programme6.

In 2005, 80,000 of total of 190,000 Royal Thai army personnel were conscripts7, as were 27,000 of a total of 64,000 Royal Thai navy personnel8.

There are several paramilitary forces who compose the defence force of a territory and may be considered as the reserve forces. Thailand, in fact, plans to increase the strength of its reserve forces as it regards it as a way to enhance defence capabilities at a lower cost9.

The recruitment methods of these paramilitary forces are not known.

Professional soldiers

More than 60% of the Thai Armed Forces is comprised of professional soldiers. However, not much is known about recruitment practice and service conditions.

Conscientious objection

Conscientious objection for conscripts

There is no known legal provision for conscientious objection10.

Conscientious objection for professional soldiers

As Thailand does not recognise the right to conscientious objection for conscripts, it also does not recognise the right to conscientious objection for professional soldiers.

The rules for terminating a service contract prematurely are not known.

Draft evasion and desertion

Draft evasion has been a widespread problem. In 1999, it was reported that an estimated 30,000 persons, most of them sons of rich and influential people, evade conscription11. Corruption is widespread to avoid military service, according to anecdotal evidence12.

According to section 25 in conjunction with section 44 of the Military Service Act, failing to report oneself upon notice, can be punished with not more than 3 months imprisonment or a fine of 300 Thai Baht (£5.50) or both.

Not attending military service selection can be punished with imprisonment of not more than 3 years, under section 27 in conjunction with section 45 of the Military Service Act13.

Details of punishment for avoiding military service are not known.

 

Notes

1Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand 2007, article 73, http://www.asianlii.org/th/legis/const/2007/1.html#C01, accessed 28 September 2009

2Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific: Youth in Thailand: A Review of the Youth Situation and National Policies and Programmes, United Nations, New York, 2000, http://www.unescap.org/esid/hds/youth/youth_thailand.pdf, page 49, accessed 28 September 2009

3US Library of Congress 1987. Thailand - A country study. Area Handbooks, State Department, Washington DC.

4Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, Child Soldiers Global Report 2001 - Thailand, 2001, available at: http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/498805c7c.html, accessed 28 September 2009

5Bangkok Post, 5 April 1995; Bangkok Post, 18 August 1993; US Library of Congress 1987. Thailand - A country study. Area Handbooks, State Department, Washington DC.

6Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific: Youth in Thailand: A Review of the Youth Situation and National Policies and Programmes, United Nations, New York, 2000, http://www.unescap.org/esid/hds/youth/youth_thailand.pdf, page 49, accessed 28 September 2009

7GlobalSecurity.org: Royal Thai Army, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/thailand/army-intro.htm, accessed 28 September 2009

8GlobalSecurity.org: Royal Thai Navy, http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/thailand/navy-intro.htm, accessed 28 September 2009

9Société 13c 1991. Military Powers Encyclopedia, Volume 6. Paris.

10Eide, A., C. Mubanga-Chipoya 1983. Conscientious objection to military service. report prepared in pursuance of resolutions 14 (XXXIV) and 1982/30 of the Subcommission of Discrimination and Protection of Minorities. United Nations, New York.

11The Nation: Thousands dodge Army conscription, 26 February 1999, http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P1-20619276.html, accessed 28 September 2009

13Utip Suparp: The Philosophy of Criminology when Sentencing in Thai Courts: A Case Study of Intentional, Negligent and Provoked Criminals, undated, http://asialaw.tripod.com/articles/sentencingsuparb.html, accessed 28 October 2009

Recent stories on conscientious objection: Thailand

28 Nov 2024

The following list includes individuals who have been imprisoned for their nonviolent resistance to war and conscientious objection to military service.

08 Apr 2024

On 5th April, Thai conscientious objector and human rights activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal declared his conscientious objection in front of a military conscription centre in Samut Prakarn province, openly stating his beliefs instead of complying with a call-up. Connection e.V., War Resisters’ International, the Movement for Conscientious Objectors, Conscientious Objection Watch, New Profile and World Without War are calling for conscientious objection to be fully recognised in Thailand.

23 Jul 2020

The latest issue of our newsletter CO Update is out! In this issue, you'll find stories on conscientious objection and conscription from Ukraine,Turkey, Eritrea, Germany, USA, Azerbaijan, Thailand, among others.

18 Jun 2020

On 7th May, student activist and conscientious objector Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal shared an internal police report from 2018 on his Twitter account, according to which he got engaged in ‘unsuitable behaviour’ and he cannot be in the Youth Board of Amnesty International Thailand.

14 Jun 2019

I am a conscientious objector; this means I will not take part in conscription or government required military service in Thailand. Military rule has dominated Thai society, not only now but also for a long time, and its power increases every year. However the Thai army is a joke for people around the world.

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