Showing 1 - 10 of 16
Army culture of impunity
Oped, Editorial, Published on 23/07/2025
» The Military Court delivered a ruling yesterday over a fatal assault at a cadet school in 2017. Despite the verdict finding the defendants guilty of assaulting the young cadet, it is unlikely to deter a culture of hazing and impunity within the Thai military.
Putting a price on draft dodging
Editorial, Published on 19/01/2025
» 'Pay your way out of the draft!" When the general in charge of compulsory conscription proposed this idea earlier this month, it was quickly slammed, and rightly so.
Violence no way to discipline kids
Editorial, Published on 13/10/2024
» The recent rejection of the draft law against child spanking by the House of Representatives for further review should alarm us all.
Army abuse still with us
Oped, Editorial, Published on 22/06/2024
» The latest scandal involving salary deductions for conscripts in the Thai army is a distressing reminder of the persistent abuse and exploitation within our military ranks. What is more worrying is the response from the Ministry of Defence, which only addresses the problem superficially.
End hazing peril, reform military
Editorial, Published on 03/09/2023
» Army conscript Wichian Phueksom was tortured to death in an army camp over 12 years ago. Today, justice has still not been served.
Soldiers are not servants
Oped, Editorial, Published on 06/05/2023
» The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has done the country and the Thai armed forces a great service in recommending that the military brings to an end the use of conscripts as personal employees of higher-ranking officers within 90 days. Rights commissioners made a loud and clear official statement last week that the practice is a human rights violation.
Conscription needs to go
Oped, Editorial, Published on 12/04/2023
» The Thai military is facing increasing pressure to change its conscription system to a voluntary one.
Conscription's days numbered
News, Editorial, Published on 11/12/2022
» Late last month, 23 high school students in Narathiwat were rushed to hospital after harsh military training. Eight needed dialysis due to life-threatening dehydration and kidney failure.
No quick fix to army image
News, Editorial, Published on 06/02/2020
» The Royal Thai Army was quick to dismiss reports which went viral on social media and some mainstream media outlets on Tuesday about six "prohibited postures" for men in uniform; among them sitting with legs crossed, standing with arms folded, and having their hands in their pockets.
Conscription's time is up
News, Editorial, Published on 16/11/2019
» There are many good reasons why the Future Forward Party's (FFP) bill to replace military conscription with a system of voluntary enrolment should be passed by parliament. One of them is that it will, for the first time, let young men, especially those from poor families, decide their own future. Another is that it will force the military to re-assess the usefulness and review its use of this chunk of the defence personnel, who several times have suffered grave human rights abuses and fatalities.