Myanmar nationals flee to Thailand to evade military conscription
In Thailand’s border province of Tak, young Myanmar nationals, now including women, attempt to evade compulsory military conscription.
Soldiers from the Ratchamanu Taskforce, stationed in Tak’s Mae Sot district, made a startling discovery on Friday, apprehending 27 youths comprising 13 men and 14 women near a stream in Phop Phra district.
These young individuals revealed they had embarked on their journey from Myawaddy, a city in Myanmar adjacent to Tak’s Mae Sot district. Facilitated by human smugglers, they navigated a clandestine path into Thailand through the porous border area.
This incident follows closely on the heels of another, where 27 young Myanmar nationals, 11 men and 16 women, were captured earlier in the week by the border taskforce while concealing themselves in a forest within Tak’s Phop Phra district. The proximity of five border districts in the northern province to major Myanmar towns with convenient transportation to the border further highlights the urgency of their flight.
The root cause of this exodus lies in Myanmar’s junta’s implementation of a law compelling all men aged between 18 and 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve a minimum of two years in the military to bolster its ranks amidst mounting resistance. Junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has issued a directive enforcing this law, with stringent penalties of up to five years in prison for those who refuse military service, reported The Nation.
Major General Zaw Min Tun, a spokesperson for the junta, disclosed plans to enlist approximately 5,000 individuals monthly starting in April for national defence duties. The goal is to recruit as many as 50,000 men this year alone, aiming to shore up the military’s dwindling numbers in the face of significant battlefield losses and mass surrenders.
One Myanmar national, U Wey, speaking out against what he deems illegitimate conscription, expressed grave concerns over the safety of these fleeing youths if they were repatriated to Myanmar.
