The Royal Thai Army (RTA) has announced plans to reduce the number of conscripts by 10% starting this year as it aims to promote voluntary enlistment.
Lt Col Patcharin Chan-a-sa, deputy assistant spokesperson for the army, on Thursday said the RTA has developed an online recruitment service for volunteers.
Those who volunteer to join the army can expect to receive benefits, such as an invitation to take the exam to enrol in the Army Non-Commissioned Officer School and a point-collecting programme for civil officers in the army. The RTA has used the online recruitment service on a limited basis for three years, and it aims to fully operate it in the future, Lt Col Patcharin said.
The current recruitment period runs until Jan 29, she added.
This year, 58,330 men were enlisted, with 6,101 using the online service, she said. However, the army will reduce the number of conscripts by 10%, or 12,000, next year before completely shifting to a voluntary recruitment system, she said.
Lt Col Patcharin said the army chief is prioritising the well-being of soldiers of every rank. The army has provided its soldiers with welfare programmes that cover health, finance and education, she said.
Moreover, the army also provides more career opportunities for recruits who want to pursue professional skills, she said. The army opens for 4,000 non-commissioned soldiers annually and aims to grant entry if they want to become commissioned officers, she added.