Amnesty International has issued a strong condemnation against the Thai government's legal action towards Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal, a prominent activist facing trial for his refusal to partake in mandatory military service. Scheduled for trial on September 9, Netiwit could face up to three years in prison under the Military Conscription Act of 1954.

Montse Ferrer, Amnesty International’s regional research director, highlighted the international legal obligations that necessitate the provision of alternative service options for conscientious objectors. He emphasized that, "Netiwit’s refusal to participate in this outdated system should urge Thai authorities to reform the country’s legal framework to allow alternative services, as required by international human rights law and standards."

A troubling 2020 Amnesty International report shed light on severe abuses within the Thai military training regimen. All conscripts interviewed in the study shared disturbing accounts of physical violence including beatings with various objects and direct physical assaults.

Netiwit’s decision to defy the draft on April 5 of the previous year was an act of civil disobedience against a system he has long criticized. In a past interview, he condemned the Thai military's practices, including its treatment of transgender women and the lack of provisions for those who conscientiously object to service. He referred to conscription as an "attitude adjustment program" aimed at ensuring compliance.

Under Thailand's Constitution, all men aged 21 are subject to military conscription, which is determined by a lottery system. Drawing a red card signifies a compulsory two-year service, with refusal potentially leading to a three-year prison sentence.

Netiwit's case brings into focus the broader issues of freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, as protected under Article 18 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The UN Human Rights Committee’s General Comment 22 further supports that conscientious objection is a manifestation of these freedoms. With international law backing alternatives to military service, human rights advocates ardently argue that reforms in Thailand are critically overdue.