Reader question: My Thai stepson is in military service
My stepson is 20 years old and has Thai nationality. I want to avoid him at his next holiday in Thailand arrested as a deserter.
He's on duty. According to my (Thai) wife, she should definitely arrange something for his military service before he turns 21, in December of this year. My wife and my stepdaughter have already called the Thai embassy in The Hague a few times, but they say they cannot do anything and refer us to the municipality (amphoe) Banglamung (Pattaya) where he is registered. He has been living in the Netherlands for 12 years.
My stepson has only Thai nationality, no dual nationality. He was never officially deregistered from Thailand but has already gone to get a new Thai passport twice at the Thai embassy in The Hague, so I assume the Thai government knows about it.
My wife is going to Thailand alone in November. If she goes to the "municipal office", the amphoe, I think willing officials are willing to "arrange something" for a lot of money. I hope it can be done simply, in accordance with regulations and cheaply.
And I also wonder if the computers at Immigration when our son arrives at the airport in Bangkok indicate that they are dealing with a "deserter" and that he is immediately deprived of his freedom. Does anyone have experience with such a situation?
Name and email address known to the editor.
Sorry, I have no experience with this, but thought it was an interesting question.
I found such a question on Thaivisaa from 2009, which got a lot of responses, many negative ones, but still some that might be helpful:
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/277985-thai-military-service/
Please read the extensive response from geriatrickid of 4/7/2009 at 15.10:XNUMX pm,
The questioner may have something to do with this!
I recommend submitting your question to Sunbelt via Stickman. On http://www.stickmanweekly.com a column is published every Sunday. At the bottom, Sunbelt Asia answers readers' legal questions for free. Sunbelt shows a lot of knowledge in their answers. All you have to do is send an email to Stickman. Free advice from legal experts.
Has he already been called up for the examination?
He has to go there, otherwise he will get into trouble.
If the examination has not yet taken place, then your wife should indeed talk to the Amphur in advance, then there is something to arrange, it does not have to cost that much, the Thai army is also shrinking, so more and more conscripts are being drawn .
Succes
If you have and have retained Thai nationality, you have rights and obligations.
I read that the stepson is conscripted and I understand from the story that you are not allowed to withdraw from this until you are 21.
In that case, before you turn 21, you report to an administrative military authority with a request to still be drawn/rejected or admitted/approved and you simply wait for the decision and the consequences.
That is how it works in a constitutional state, and no other way.
(This will get some thumbs down, it's no different).
Why not apply for a Dutch passport?
Then he can travel in and out of Thailand on his Dutch passport.
Of course not take his Thai ID card and passport with him to Thailand.
yum,
we have acquaintances who tell me the same story.
you seem to be well informed about thailand and i find your comments excellent and valuable.
Do you live in the Netherlands or are you staying in Isaan?
We still live in the Netherlands, but I have been to Thailand about 40 times.
Come to Thailand from 1979 and to Isaan from 1982
regards
jeffrey
And we complain that Thailand is such a corrupt country, I think we know that we have rights and obligations
The husband of one of our cousins was called up for his military service (naval), but preferred to stay with his wife to support her - she is a teacher - in raising their 2 children (0 and 1,5 years). He served exactly 1 week and then bought off his military service for 50.000 baht. The condition is that he does not accept paid work during the term of his military service. He is also a teacher, but cannot resume his work at school for the time being. A cousin of ours also bought off the remainder, I think 12 months, halfway through his military service. His father (our brother-in-law) is a retired senior civil servant and has paid 100.000 baht. The first example is very recent and the second 5 or 6 years ago. I understand from my brother-in-law that this kind of thing happens more often, perhaps even commonplace. The lump sum is determined depending on your status. So I can imagine that a Thai young man with a foreign father will also have to pay a lot of money.
According to my dear brother-in-law, however, different rules apply to long-term stays abroad. (public prosecutor)
Perhaps Sunbelt can provide some clarity?
It's really not always the case that a bribe is necessary.
There are definitely rules, exceptions and so on.
And there is indeed a military affairs department on the Amphur, often run by a dropped (?) officer.
Just ask, and don't always wave the money ……..
Or immediately hire a lawyer.
I understand that the draw takes place in public: do you draw red or do you draw green.
Red means "service"; green means “exemption”.
If you draw red, you can also negotiate at the last moment with the son of a poor farmer who happened to draw green.
For enough baht she is often willing to take over the conscription.
I don't know that a Thai, just like a Moroccan, is not allowed to renounce his natonalitet.
If so, where are the difficulties?
This Thai boy has been in the Netherlands for 12 years and can speak Dutch without any problems
getting nationalitet right?
There may be another catch when he matures.
My wife arranged it for my son 7 years ago, the military official in question wanted 25k, my wife negotiated 15k, on the day of the draw my son had to go to Bangkok, there he was drawn and he was even able to compete for 10k.
15K or 25K what do you mean by that?
How many baht is that?
Dear L. Dirk
1k means 1000 bth, it took me a while before I found out
A bit strange writing style.
I think it is derived from 1 cubic meter = 1000 liters
They do use more strange names like 555 I still don't know what that means. Must be stupid that I don't know.
Dick: The number 5 is pronounced ha.
My son has obtained Belgian nationality because the mother (Thai) has also obtained Belgian nationality, the son follows the mother. He is 20 years old.
He also has my last name through adoption.
He was born in Thailand and therefore has a different surname on his birth certificate than on his Belgian identity card and Belgian travel pass.
If he wants to go to Thailand and live/work there, can he get a Thai identity card on his old family name? Probably yes?
But more importantly, should he do his military service?
No summoning letter received to date, I'm afraid of waking up sleeping dogs if you know what I mean….
He would like to go back to work/live in Thailand within a few years, but with his Thai nationality of course.