Two Thai transgender beauty queens, Parida Kerayuphan and Kantong Passarapon, both 21, made headlines in early April when they were spotted at the Kaset Wisai district’s military conscription center.
The pair were selected to enlist for military service in Thailand’s annual recruitment lottery but refused and appeared on registration day to apply for an exemption.
Famous Duo
Kerayuphan, a student and campus ambassador at Sripatum University in Bangkok, has gained a significant following on Instagram with over 128,000 followers for her stunning visuals. Passarapon, known as the “Thai Bay Angel” by fans, has also taken part in numerous beauty pageants and won champion titles.
Both Kerayuphan and Passarapon took to social media to share photos of themselves with their exempted reports. Kerayuphan’s post on Facebook has received over 21,000 reactions and over 7,000 shares since Apr. 4, 2024, while Passarapon’s post has received over 24,000 reactions and over 8,000 shares since Apr. 3, 2024.
Thailand’s 2024 military draft took place from Apr. 1 to Apr. 12, with 40,000 out of 85,000 soldiers required to be recruited via a lottery. Transgender women in Thailand are also required to report to the conscription unit, but they can apply to be exempted from military service if they have medical certificates proving their new gender.
Thai men are typically handed information about their conscription at the age of 17 and are expected to report to their local military registrar to be conscripted as soon as they turn 21. If the number of men registered is higher than the slots available, they are chosen by drawing lots. Drawing a red card means mandatory conscription for up to two years, while a black card means they are exempted. Those who do not show up on registration day may face up to three years in prison.
The presence of Kerayuphan and Passarapon at the military conscription center highlights the ongoing conversation around gender identity and military service in Thailand.