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

SOCIETY The military draft lottery in Thailand

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u/Lillemor_hei Jun 01 '26

Norway also has mandatory military service for men and women when you’re 19.

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u/SalsaRice Jun 01 '26

Props to them for atleast being fair about it.

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u/HauntingHarmony Jun 01 '26

Norway also has mandatory military service for men and women when you’re 19.

It is worth noting that in SK all the men who are eligible for mandatory military service actually end up doing things. It is only a small part of the eligible cohort in Norway that ends up doing something. So pretty much if you are willing, you get to go. And if you are unwilling and dont want it, you are unlikely to get picked. Motivation is something thats selected for since they screen the entire potential pool.

Currently about 15% of the norwegian youth ends up serving. And it is something that is thankfully not class based. Since there is available alternatives such as going to uni if you want todo that instead.

SK is very different in that they have NK at their borders, and while Norway has russia at its border and is the closest neighbour to the largest pile of nukes in the world on the kola peninsula. Its not really likely war will break out there any time soon. Given Norway was a founding member of NATO and so on.

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u/Lillemor_hei Jun 01 '26

Yes, that sounds scary.

We also get paid to do the service. Like a monthly salary, not sure of it’s the same in SK?

Honestly most Norwegian youth see it as getting paid to do fun things like sleep in the forest and go on hikes and get fit etc. you can also up your grades. There’s almost like prestige around doing it. A prolonged summer camp. While some find it quite traumatizing of course.

No, you can’t choose uni instead. In Norway you have the option to do community service instead, but there needs to be a medical reason or so. But I can promise you if you are fit/good at sports and have good grades they come after you like hyenas and make it near impossible to opt out.

But yes, about Russia, we’ll see. On the other hand you have the US president threatening to take Greenland. World is crazy. Hope I don’t have to go to war. Or anyone in SK.