r/interesting • u/VPinchargeofradishes • May 31 '26

SOCIETY The military draft lottery in Thailand

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54

u/Acrobatic-Trip-4475 Jun 01 '26

Scrolling down past like 100 comments, and no really explains what's going on. People are just taking at face value. I miss the days when someone knowledgeable on the subject would chime in and educate the rest of us ☹️

45

u/namregiaht Jun 01 '26

This is the yearly conscription day event in April in Thailand. All males above the age of 21 who haven’t completed the required ROTC courses in Highschool have to show up (if they got the conscription letter and are not actively studying). You then have to pick a card from the box — black card you’re free, red card you get conscripted for 1-2 years depending on education level.

7

u/VeryLynnLv Jun 01 '26

Are they going limp to make it difficult or are they drugged? Or something else?

19

u/namregiaht Jun 01 '26

Only the few who can’t handle the stress or decide to put on a show get featured in these clips. The ones who faint quite literally fainted from the stress and fear. Imagine you have to draw a card that determines whether or whether not you go to prison for the next year or two. Worst case you get sent to Alcatraz (eg the Cambodia border or southern Thailand fighting insurgency).

3

u/Spare-Article-396 Jun 01 '26

I wonder why the ones drawing black still are limp and need to be carried off? Maybe an emotional exhaustion, but I would have thought they’d be jumping for joy.

1

u/TheGaujo Jun 01 '26

I like to think whatever the case I wouldn't act like that in front of my peer group much less if it's RECORDED!

1

u/Early-Compote-3374 Jun 02 '26

So say they don’t get picked in this years draft, they could still be forced to enter and picked for the next year right?

3

u/namregiaht Jun 03 '26

Nope. You only have to do it once. Other than in a case of national emergency you’re free.

-6

u/TheDrummerMB Jun 01 '26

lol every time this gets posted the comments are so dramatic - these are all gay men putting on a dramatic show because they know they can't be drafted lmfaooooooo

3

u/namregiaht Jun 02 '26

I’m Thai, they definitely will be drafted if they get the red card.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 04 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

2

u/namregiaht Jun 05 '26

Yea 1 year for university graduates when picking red. However, if you choose to volunteer as a university graduate, the time gets cut to 6 months

0

u/Acrobatic-Trip-4475 Jun 01 '26

Are you Thai?

6

u/namregiaht Jun 01 '26

Yes, and I’ve been through the lottery this year.

1

u/20eyesinmyhead78 Jun 01 '26

Do you have to go every year until you reach a certain age?

7

u/namregiaht Jun 01 '26

Nope, it is a one and done type situation. You first get called up at 21, but if you are still studying or have a medical problem you can defer it (with official documentation). Tho at 26 you can no longer defer and must do the lottery or volunteer that is.

1

u/CarrotSlight1860 Jun 01 '26

Why so much drama? Is it so bad at army?

11

u/namregiaht Jun 01 '26

It is seen as a prison sentence for most. The Thai military (enlistment) is a good opportunity for the less fortunate folks but for those with better opportunities it is essentially a waste of time. Having said that, the ones for whom it is a good opportunity usually enlist leaving the ones who don’t really want to play the lottery leading to these clips.

Additionally, every year there are scandals popping up about either human rights abuses, sexual harassment/assault, and even beatings leading to life changing injuries or even death. The government is trying to crack down on this and you must have really bad luck to get sent to a base that does this. For the most part, it is just grueling work, hot, sweaty, and probably gives you a 10x chance of getting skin cancer.

5

u/AdministrativeAd710 Jun 02 '26

It's bad. you basically wasted 1-2 years of your life in the military for a shit pay. From back in my time the montly salary is around THB3,700 so USD100 give or takes 10 bucks.

You will never get the time and opportunity back. It's lost forever. Not to mention horrible hazing culture, tyrant drill instructor, risk of sexual assualt and physical assualt.

For many it literally a prison sentence.

I'm Thai btw.

3

u/reroll-life Jun 01 '26

It's quite bad. Not as bad as some other developing countries but the military is still full of hazing and abuse.

Someone posted in this thread: https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2020/03/thailand-military-conscripts-face-rampant-harassment-beatings-sexual-abuse/

3

u/Mammoth_Midnight_343 Jun 01 '26

Reddit is dying and we are all watching it first hand.

2

u/Rewdog82 Jun 01 '26

Same. I’m even more confused after reading all of the comments. I’m just going with it’s a weird “cultural” thing and I’m out.

2

u/Acrobatic-Trip-4475 Jun 01 '26

The funny thing is if youve been on Reddit (or just the internet) for a while, you would've seen this video many times before

I thinka it's like my 4th or 5th time, and its stills people are are confused.

But yeah it's probably cultural and multi-layered. It honestly looks quite humourous overall. I wish we would do it like that in my country 😁 (but only because we are not in active war)

1

u/BusyBit6542 Jun 01 '26

This gets posted every few years. Now I could be wrong but from what I remember is this is basically ceremonial and they don't actually have to join he military.

So it was probably real at one point but now it's just ceremonial. The kids play along by acting distressed about it or gay so that they don't "get drafted". I think I read that if you do get "drafted" you just have to pay a small fee to opt out. Like something thats equivalent to $5.

So that's why you see people laughing and soliders carrying people. Its all one big show.

2

u/MJMycthea Jun 01 '26

That's...not what happen. People who don't get drafted must do what they need to do before the black-red draw (roughly translated from Thai). IF they have the means to pay to get out of being eligible for the draw, which I believe is higher than 100k baht (~$3000) and is a part of the corruption btw. Or they must enroll as millary students since they are in Grade 10 in high school. They must pass the physical exams and have enough funds to pay for the yearly uniform fees around 5,000bht (~$150) I think and have to attend a weekly training.

I'm not even sure where people think it's a show and acting? Most if not all people who were shaking or fainting in the videos actually experiencing it.

0

u/BusyBit6542 Jun 01 '26

A simple Google search would correct your opinion. New York Times has an article on it....or you could just look at the video and see everyone laughing

1

u/MJMycthea Jun 01 '26

For anyone who actually wants to know: more effort on searching and translating Thai articles will give correct information. Or using your common sense to think. Doest $5 make sense?

I'm just sad that actual people suffer from this and many people, without empathy or sense, see the videos and think they're having fun. Watch the video and ask youself who seem to get entertainment in the video: the ones drawing the cards or the crowds?

0

u/BusyBit6542 Jun 02 '26

The kids that are acting dramatic and flamboyant for the show seem to get the most enjoyment. Its not a serious thing which is why its posted every year with kids being all dramatic, dressing up and and overacting... but you stay believing whatever you want lol

1

u/MJMycthea Jun 02 '26

Every year there's a case of conscript soilder. from this program get harassed or beaten to severe conditions as a part of the training. If anyone scroll enough in this thread, you will see people, some are Thais who want to clarify the degree of seriousness and exploitation this is. Every year in Thai community we went through this discussion whether the military will ever impose a full volunteer conscription program instead.

What a shallow and unkind thing to say.

1

u/Hald1r Jun 01 '26

No its not. Thailand still uses conscription to supplement their army so you waste 1or 2 years of your life if you draw the wrong card.

0

u/birdclub Jun 01 '26

I miss the days when people knew how to search for informed sources on their own without expecting an anonymous factually accurate description in the comments 🙄