Hong Kong · Thai Enquirer
Opinion – I Shall Not Live in Fear: Practicing the Future Now
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Yesterday, the Constitutional Court ruled unanimously that Thailand’s Military Service Act B.E. 2497/1954 does not contradict the Constitution. For many young people and progressives who had hoped that this case might open a new path for freedom of conscience, the decision was disappointing. Some may feel sad, angry, confused, or hopeless.
Key facts
- In 2024, I was charged with evading the draft
- This came after more than twelve years of my public commitment to being a conscientious objector, long before many people in Thailand even knew this concept
- My criminal case had been delayed for almost a year because the court was waiting for the Constitutional Court to consider whether the draft law contradicts the freedom guaranteed in the Constitution.
- Now the Constitutional Court has answered: no.
Summary
I understand this feeling. I also feel disappointed.
In 2024, I was charged with evading the draft. This came after more than twelve years of my public commitment to being a conscientious objector, long before many people in Thailand even knew this concept. My criminal case had been delayed for almost a year because the court was waiting for the Constitutional Court to consider whether the draft law contradicts the freedom guaranteed in the Constitution.