If you’ve been keeping tabs on Thailand’s recent military draft news, chances are you would’ve come across photos of Thai transgender beauties, Parida Kerayuphan and Kantong Passarapon.
Parida and Kantong, both 21, shot to fame after their appearance at the Kaset Wisai district’s military conscription centre earlier this month.
For those who don’t know, Thai law mandates that men aged 21 are required to serve up to two years in the military but not everyone needs to go to the army. To decide who are the lucky, or should we say, unlucky few, the men draw lots. Picking a red card would mean mandatory conscription, and picking a black card means you’re exempted.
Should they be drafted, transgender women are eligible to apply for an exemption from military duties if they are able to provide medical proof of gender reassignment surgery.
However, they are still required to report to the conscription unit as evasion of the military service selection process can result in a jail term of up to three years.
Parida and Kantong are expected to be granted exemptions.
Parida is a student at Bangkok’s Sripatum University, and is known within the institution for her good looks. She also has a large online following, with over 122K followers on Instagram.
Kantong has reportedly won numerous beauty pageants and also has strong online presence.
Photos of the pair at the draft have taken the internet by storm, with some netizens saying they had turned the event into a beauty pageant.