One of the barmen, Khun Um, is fast approaching his 21st birthday and unlike most of us, he's not overly looking forward to the big event. The reason for this is that he may be conscripted into the army.
Apparently, everyone gets called back annually to their home villages and towns and depending on the numbers required, they have a lottery on who goes in and who gets let off. Everyone of age has to walk on stage and grab a lucky dip. If the card you pull out is black, you go home and that's the end of it. If it's red, you're in the army (now) for the next two years.
Talk about harsh!
Naturally, one can always pay to get off, but how many barmen do you know with THB 50 000 lying around? That's about a grand. I'd be queuing up outside the bank pretty sharpish.
Anyway, we're all keeping our fingers crossed and hope to see him back where he belongs at the Imm and not square bashing.
Apparently, everyone gets called back annually to their home villages and towns and depending on the numbers required, they have a lottery on who goes in and who gets let off. Everyone of age has to walk on stage and grab a lucky dip. If the card you pull out is black, you go home and that's the end of it. If it's red, you're in the army (now) for the next two years.
Talk about harsh!
Naturally, one can always pay to get off, but how many barmen do you know with THB 50 000 lying around? That's about a grand. I'd be queuing up outside the bank pretty sharpish.
Anyway, we're all keeping our fingers crossed and hope to see him back where he belongs at the Imm and not square bashing.
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