The army is carefully screening young men during the conscription process, looking for those who pretend to be transgender in order to avoid joining the army, a spokesman said on Thursday.

Col Sirichan Ngathong, deputy spokesperson, said there were several criteria to define transgenders, whom the army classifies as Category 2 men who could not be drafted in the conscription.

Under the criteria, transgender men are transsexual people, change their bodies to show a female form but are not transsexual, or are certified by a hospital or government medical institute to be transgender.

The army also had medical committees to carefully check young men to find out if they were really transgender and also asked neighbours about their behaviour, Col Sirichan said.

"Conscription committees have thorough checking procedures in compliance with the rules. It is unlikely any man could change their appearance to look like a woman and dodge conscription," she said.