“Bored of your wife? This April, come and enlist in the military,” says a recent online post from the Thai military, ditching its traditional, stuffy tone for online memes ahead of the recent annual draft season.

It is not known how effective the campaign has been, but nearly 50,000 men volunteered to enlist this year, according to the Royal Thai Army, a 22% increase compared with 2025. This marks a continuation of a trend seen over the past five years in Thailand, and is a marked contrast to countries such as Japan, which are struggling to enlist military personnel.

The reasons for the increase in volunteer enlistments is unclear, say analysts. Rising nationalism following Thailand’s recent border conflict with Cambodia could be a factor, as could the country’s struggling economy that has left young people with fewer job opportunities.

The military claims the increase reflects growing trust in the institution. Ahead of an annual draft, it has sought to use social media to engage young men, inviting them to join the military “family”, protect Thailand’s border, while making jokes about dating and unrequited love.

“Dedication to training instills discipline; dedication to her brings only sisterly affection,” said one post.

However, the decision to volunteer may be a pragmatic one for many young people.

Young men aged between 18 and 29 who do not volunteer are instead entered into a lottery at their local centre. If they draw a black card they are exempt from military service. A red card means they are conscripted for between one and two years, depending on their educational background. The period is shorter for volunteers, with university educated volunteers serving the shortest period, six months.

Krisana Phoolong, 23, a recent graduate, says he decided to volunteer this year so the prospect of conscription would no longer hang over him.

“As a volunteer I can pick the camp and the time, and check for the place closest to my home,” says Krisana. He would rather serve six months as a volunteer than risk entering the lottery, which could result in him serving for longer and being sent to a location far away.

For other young people, the economy may be a factor that has encouraged them to sign up this year, he adds. “A lot of companies aren’t looking to recruit new employees at the moment,” he says.

Conscripts receive a monthly salary of about 11,000 baht (US$340), and are provided with food and accommodation.

Video clips of the annual April lottery – including the expressions of overwhelming relief by those who draw a black card – often go viral on social media.

Earlier this month, a video clip shared widely on TikTok and picked up by Thai media, claimed a man had been turned away because his BMI was 35 – above the threshold for qualifying – after he went on a bubble tea binge. He spent three months drinking two cups of the sugary drink per day, it claimed.

The opposition People’s Party, which has a strong support base among young voters, campaigned ahead of January elections on a pledge to scrap the compulsory draft.

But Pavin Chachavalpongpun, associate professor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies, Kyoto University, says reform is unlikely for now.

“With the current government in place, with the popularity of the military seeming to go up following the war with Cambodia, I think the issue of conscription might just be buried for the time being,” he says. “How could you talk about conscription when we have war with our next door neighbour?”

The border dispute, which erupted in July and December last year, also strengthened the military’s dominant role in politics and foreign policy, Pavin says.

But he says it is unlikely the conflict with Cambodia has completely reversed the attitudes of young people, who in 2020 protested calling for reforms, demanding the military should not interfere in politics.

Krisana, who will begin training next month, says he believes military service should be completely voluntary. “I understand that for some people who did the draft and got [a red card] but who have a family to take care of, or a job, it’s very hard,” he says.

A better system would offer incentives, such as welfare benefits, to encourage people to join, he says.

Additional reporting by Navaon Siradapuvadolon