Army reserve students may be drafted

Army reserve students may be drafted

Students who enrol in the Army Reserve Force while at school might no longer be exempted from the military draft because of a shortfall in recruits through the normal conscription process, army chief Prayuth Chan-ocha said on Monday.

Photo by Sarot Meksophawannakul

It is reported that many Thai students are joining the Army Reserve Force because they want to avoid conscription. Army reserve students are usually exempt from the draft.

Gen Prayuth said an increase in reserve force cadets being recruited would mean fewer conscripts would need to be drawn from ordinary civilian life for military service 

The army needed around 80,000 recruits per year, he said.

"As for the new policy allowing high school students to have longer hair, military students are still required to follow the rules set by the army.

"When an individual wears an army uniform they should be neatly trimmed and shaved and have an appropriate appearance," the national army chief said.


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