Army inducts only 47 conscripts from Kathu

The conscription service was conducted at the 4,000-seat ‘Indoor Sports Stadium’, with Lt Col Kawit Satitsomboon overseeing the proceedings. Lt Col Kawit is Commander-in-Chief of the 5th Infantry Division, serving with the Region 4 Army base in Nakhon Sri Thammarat, 

Of the 433 men called to present themselves, 24 chose to enlist voluntarily, while 23 drew the ‘red card’, meaning they will be obliged to perform mandatory military service. The remaining 386 were exempted from military service.

Some of those conscripted formally requested to delay their period of military service.

According to the Government Contact Center (GCC), Thai men who must attend the call-up for conscription in 2023 are men who were born in 2002, and men born between 1994 and 2001 who had never attended a conscription call-up before or had been called up previously but never completed their military service.

However, students who reach the age for conscription are allowed to delay their conscription according to the ministerial regulations (namely so they can complete their studies).

Thai men who reach the conscription age must go to their local district office and be issued a summons (SorDor 35) from a Military Recruiting Officer. 

Those who do not present themselves to be issued a SorDor 35 within the permitted time face a B300 fine or up to three months’ imprisonment.

Those who are issued a SorDor 35 and do not attend the conscription call-up face up to three years’ imprisonment.