Author: Evelyn Li Xinruo

Published: 19 Feb 2026

Every April in Thailand, 21-year-old men go through a lottery that determines the next two years of their lives. They report to local district draft centres for registration, where drawing a red card means compulsory military service; a black card, exemption. This event captures why conscription remains a charged issue across Southeast Asia. Governments continue to frame mandatory service as a defence necessity and a nation‑building exercise. Yet, for the generation expected to serve, the meaning of conscription is far less settled. The question is no longer only whether conscription works, but whether it still resonates with today’s youths. 

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