Every April, all Thais who were born male and who have turned 21 in the past year must present themselves to military conscription centers where they might be drafted into service.
According to attorneys in Thailand though, both opposition political parties and activists have stated that the day can be extremely humiliating for overweight individuals and ladyboys.
Those who are deemed overweight or have had a sex change are exempt from the conscription lottery.
To determine if someone is “medically unfit” to serve in the military, the 21-year-old men are asked to take their shirt off and have a “fat check” performed on them.
As for ladyboys, they are examined in a private room or behind a curtain or wall to determine if they have undergone a sex change.
Those who have had a sex change are granted a certificate of “gender identity disorder” and no longer have to draw a card from the pot to determine their military fate.
Those who draw a red card from the pot must serve two years in the military.
Those who draw a red are free to go home.
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