“Thailand has a mandatory military service which applies to all male citizens who have turned 21 years old. Some volunteer to serve in their country’s armed forces and some are subjected to a random draft lottery for a Red or Black card. A black ticket means you do not have to serve in the military and you can continue on with your life and your career. A red ticket means that you would have to serve. When there are insufficient men who have signed up, the draft lottery will decide the fate of the remaining male citizens. The only way to avoid Thailand's 2 years mandatory military recruitment is to graduate with a Three Years: Military Service Students Program. Students must be between the ages of 18 and 22 and they have to attend this course once per week. They need to have a grade point average of 2.50 or above, be physically fit, and pass a series of fitness tests that will allow them to be accepted into the reserves.

Those who volunteer are free to choose from the three branches of the armed forces (Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Navy and Royal Thai Air Force). Service obligation also varies by educational qualification. Those with a high school diploma or the equivalent and those who have one year of Military Service education are required to serve for two years if they draw the red card, but if these same individuals volunteer, the service obligation would be reduced in half, i.e., reduced to only one year. Likewise, those with an associate degree (or equivalent) or higher would be required to serve for one year if drafted, but the requirement would be reduced to only six months if they volunteered. University students can defer their service as long as they maintain the student status until reaching the age of 27 or obtaining a master's degree or the equivalent, whichever comes first. Undergraduate and graduate students who decide to volunteer are allowed by their institution to put their studies on suspension until the end of term of service. All conscripts, regardless of educational qualification, undergo the same training and receive the same grade and rank upon completion of basic training”. – Wikipedia

Nopparat (R), a 24-year-old transgender, and a Buddhist monk (L) wait to speak to officers during an army draft held at a school in Bang Na in Bangkok April 3, 2015. Thai men over 21 must serve in the army. Those who volunteer serve six months, but others choose the annual lottery, which goes on for 10 days in recruitment centres around Thailand. Only those not considered physically capable of service, the mentally ill and those who have significantly altered their physical appearance, such as transgenders, are exempt. Picture taken April 3, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Young men and a Buddhist monk sit as they wait to pick tickets as part of an annual lottery during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Transgenders (back) wait to speak to officers during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A young man reacts after pulling a ticket out from a plastic bucket during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A young man reacts after pulling a ticket out from a plastic bucket during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

A Buddhist monk reacts after picking a ticket during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Military officers prepare black and red tickets during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Young men wait to be weighed during an army draft held at a school in Bang Na in Bangkok April 3, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Young men sit on the floor during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Sithiphan, 21, spends time with his son during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

Transgenders put on make up as they wait to speak to officers during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)

An army officer writes a number on the arm of Thanompong, a 21-year-old transgender, during an army draft held at a school in Klong Toey, the dockside slum area in Bangkok April 5, 2015. (Photo by Athit Perawongmetha/Reuters)