Editing Royal Thai Armed Forces (section)

===Conscription===
Conscription, a national duty outlined in the [[2007 Constitution of Thailand|Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand]],<ref>[[s:2007 Constitution of Thailand#CHAPTER 4: DUTIES OF THE THAI PEOPLE|Chapter 4 of the 2007 Constitution of Thailand]]</ref> was initiated in 1905.<ref name="Baker-2009">{{cite book |last1=Baker |first1=Chris |last2=Phongpaichit |first2=Pasuk |title=A History of Thailand |date=2009 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-0521759151 |edition=2nd|page=62}}</ref> It mandates military service for all Thai citizens, although in practice, it primarily applies to males over 21 years of age who have not completed reserve training. The annual [[conscription]] process, typically held in early April, begins with eligible individuals reporting to their selection center at 07:00 on the designated day.

During this process, draftees have the option to volunteer for service or participate in a lottery if they do not volunteer. Those who choose to volunteer undergo thorough physical and mental health evaluations, including a drug test.<ref name="BP-20180420">{{cite news|last1=Laohong|first1=King-Oua|title=12,000 draftees 'on drugs'|url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1448931/12-000-draftees-on-drugs|access-date=20 April 2018|work=Bangkok Post|date=20 April 2018}}</ref> The results of these drug tests are recorded in the Narcotics Control Board's database. In 2018, data showed that out of 182,910 men tested, 12,209, or 6.7 percent, tested positive for drugs, with the majority detected for [[methamphetamine]], followed by [[marijuana]], and other substances.

Individuals who test positive for drugs are subject to different treatments based on their conscription status. Over 3,000 men who tested positive and were drafted into the military received drug rehabilitation treatment as part of their service. Conversely, those who tested positive but were not drafted underwent a 13-day rehabilitation program in their home provinces.<ref name="BP-20180420" />

Candidates who do not meet the physical and mental health standards are exempted from service. Those who pass the examinations and volunteer for enlistment select their preferred service branch (Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy, or Royal Thai Air Force) and a reporting date. They receive official documentation summarizing the draft selection of the year, along with an enlistment order detailing the specifics of their basic training, including the time and location. The process concludes for the day with the dismissal of the enlistees, who then await their reporting date for basic training.

Following the dismissal of the volunteers, the conscription lottery commences at each selection center. The number of individuals conscripted via the lottery is determined by the center's set quota, minus the number of volunteers. Like the volunteers, those participating in the lottery undergo the same physical and mental health assessments, with ineligible individuals being similarly dismissed.

During the lottery, each man draws a card from an opaque box. A black card signifies exemption from military service, and the individual receives a letter of exemption. Conversely, drawing a red card mandates military service, with the induction date specified on the card. Individuals with higher educational qualifications may request a reduction in their service obligation.

In 2018, over 500,000 men were called for selection by the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The combined quota across the forces was approximately 104,000, including 80,000 for the [[Royal Thai Army]], 16,000 for the [[Royal Thai Navy]], and 8,700 for the [[Royal Thai Air Force]]. On the selection day, 44,800 men volunteered for service. After accounting for these volunteers and those dismissed due to ineligibility, the remaining quota was approximately 60,000 slots. This quota was to be filled by the approximately 450,000 men participating in the draft lottery, making the overall probability of drawing a red card about 13 percent.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Nanuam|first1=Wassana|title=Image, pay draw volunteers for armed service| url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/1446206/image-pay-draw-volunteers-for-armed-service|access-date=15 April 2018|work=Bangkok Post|date=15 April 2018}}</ref>

In 2017, a total of 103,097 men participated in the military draft in Thailand, conducted from April 1 to 12. The armed forces required 77,000 conscripts annually. In some cases, certain selection centers did not need to conduct the balloting lottery because their quotas were already fulfilled by volunteers. In these instances, individuals who opted not to volunteer and instead waited for the lottery were issued certificates of exemption.

The duration of military service in Thailand varies depending on whether an individual volunteers and their level of educational attainment. Volunteers are generally required to serve for shorter periods. Those without a high school diploma must serve for two years, irrespective of their volunteer status. High school graduates who volunteer are obligated to serve for one year, whereas those who do not volunteer and draw red cards during the lottery are required to serve for two years. Individuals holding an associate degree or higher and who volunteer have a six-month service period. Those with similar educational qualifications who draw red cards during the lottery may request a reduction in their service time, up to a maximum of one year. University students are permitted to defer their conscription until they have completed their degree or reached the age of 26.

All conscripts in the Thai military are assigned the rank of Private, Seaman, or Aircraftman (OR-1), and they retain this rank throughout their service, regardless of their educational qualifications. Their wages are subject to increase after completing basic training and with time-in-grade.

It is reported by some sources that a significant number of conscripts, over half according to these claims, are utilized as servants<ref>{{cite news |title=Prawit denies servant for officer policy |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/1505262/prawit-denies-servant-for-officer-policy |access-date=18 July 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=18 July 2018}}</ref> to senior officers or clerks in [[military cooperative]] shops.<ref>{{cite news|title=Ex-private stands firm after being harassed online for criticising military|url=https://prachatai.com/english/node/7454|access-date=4 November 2017|work=Pratchatai English|date=3 November 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171107021744/https://prachatai.com/english/node/7454|archive-date=7 November 2017|url-status=live|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Conscripts aren't servants |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1506062/conscripts-arent-servants |access-date=20 July 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=19 July 2018 |department=Opinion}}</ref> However, it is important to note that the placement of conscripts, irrespective of their volunteer status and educational background, is typically determined by the operational needs of their respective service branches. The most common roles assigned include [[infantry]]man for Royal Thai Army conscripts, [[Royal Thai Marine Corps|Royal Marine]] for Royal Thai Navy conscripts, and [[Royal Thai Air Force Security Force Regiment|security forces specialist]] for Royal Thai Air Force conscripts. Their duties can vary, encompassing military operations, manning security checkpoints, force generation, and performing manual labor or clerical tasks as required by their unit.

Upon completing their service, conscripts are presented with the option to reenlist. In April 2020, for instance, only 5,460 out of 42,000 conscripts eligible for discharge at the end of the month chose to continue their service in the military.<ref>{{cite news |title=Thais seem ever less impressed by the army |url=https://www.economist.com/asia/2020/05/09/thais-seem-ever-less-impressed-by-the-army |access-date=13 May 2020 |newspaper=The Economist |date=9 May 2020}}</ref>

Top government officials in Thailand maintain that conscription is essential for the country.<ref>{{cite news |title=Prawit defends army spending |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/politics/1807039/prawit-defends-army-spending |access-date=5 December 2019 |work=Bangkok Post |date=3 December 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=PM insists mandatory conscription is still needed |url=http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-insists-mandatory-conscription-is-still-needed/ |access-date=29 August 2018 |work=Thai PBS |date=7 August 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180829212134/http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/pm-insists-mandatory-conscription-is-still-needed/ |archive-date=29 August 2018 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> However, there is an ongoing debate regarding the necessity and effectiveness of conscription in 21st-century Thailand.<ref>{{cite news |title=Let's stop forcing boys to be soldiers |url=https://www.nationthailand.com/detail/opinion/30353201 |access-date=29 August 2018 |work=The Nation |date=29 August 2018 |department=Opinion |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180828235424/http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30353201 |archive-date=28 August 2018 |url-status=live |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Do away with conscription |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1434054/do-away-with-conscription |access-date=29 August 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=24 March 2018 |department=Opinion}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Draper |first1=John |last2=Sripokangkul |first2=Siwach |title=Transform conscription to national service |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/1334063/transform-conscription-to-national-service |access-date=29 August 2018 |work=Bangkok Post |date=30 September 2017 |department=Opinion}}</ref> Critics argue that, as of 2019, the external threats to Thailand are minimal. This perspective seems to align with Thailand's new National Security Plan, published in the Royal Gazette on November 22, 2019. Effective from November 19, 2019, to September 30, 2022, the plan suggests that external geopolitical threats are not significant in the forthcoming years, focusing instead on domestic issues, notably concerns about declining faith in the monarchy and political divisions.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ganjanakhundee |first1=Supalak |title=Thailand's New Security Highlights Threats to the Throne |url=https://www.iseas.edu.sg/medias/commentaries/item/10895-thailands-new-security-plan-highlights-threats-to-the-throne-by-supalak-ganjanakhundee |access-date=5 December 2019 |website=ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute |publisher=Institute of Southeast Asian Studies (ISEAS) |date=27 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205132418/https://www.iseas.edu.sg/medias/commentaries/item/10895-thailands-new-security-plan-highlights-threats-to-the-throne-by-supalak-ganjanakhundee |archive-date=5 December 2019 |url-status=dead }}</ref> In September 2023, the [[Ministry of Defence (Thailand)|Defence Minister]] announced that conscription will be gradually abolished from April 2024 to 2027.<ref>{{Cite web |title="บิ๊กทิน" ชี้ปรับเกณฑ์ทหารแบบสมัครใจเม.ย.67-ลดนายพลปี 70 |url=https://www.thaipbs.or.th/news/content/331255 |access-date=2024-02-03 |website=Thai PBS |language=th}}</ref>

[[Amnesty International]], in a report from March 2020, alleges that Thai military conscripts are subjected to institutionalized abuse, which is often overlooked by military authorities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Weeks after Korat massacre, Amnesty report describes conscript abuses |url=https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1884760/weeks-after-korat-massacre-amnesty-report-describes-conscript-abuses |access-date=23 March 2020 |work=Bangkok Post |agency=Reuters |date=23 March 2020}}</ref> The report describes this practice as a "long-standing open secret in Thai society".<ref>{{cite book |title=We Were Just Toys to Them; Physical, Mental, and Sexual Abuse of Conscripts in Thailand's Military |date=March 2020 |publisher=Amnesty International |location=London |page=8 |url=https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ASA3919952020ENGLISH.pdf |access-date=23 March 2020 |archive-date=23 March 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200323130104/https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/ASA3919952020ENGLISH.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> One notable case cited by Amnesty occurred in 2011, involving the death of [[Wichian Pueksom]], allegedly due to torture by 10 officers. As of the report's publication, no verdict had been rendered in this case.<ref>{{cite news |title=9 Years of waiting, Military prosecutors file a case against 9 soldiers in Narathiwat who attacked Army conscript Wichian Pueksom, resulting in his death in 2011 |url=https://crcfthailand.org/2020/11/16/9-years-of-waiting-military-prosecutors-file-a-case-against-9-soldiers-in-narathiwat-who-attacked-army-conscript-wichian-pueksom-resulting-in-his-death-in-2011/ |work=Cross Cultural Foundation |date=16 November 2020 |language=en}}</ref>