Thousands of glamorous Thai transgender women exempt themselves at annual national service call-up events

Thousands of glamorous Thai transgender women exempt themselves at annual national service call-up events

Thousands of Thai transgender women attended army conscription centres today - proudly showing their gender-change certificates exempting them from service.

Each year, males over the age of 21 have to put themselves forward national service around the country.

Recruits are selected randomly from the military call-up events.

However, transgender women - who have to attend as they still have their male birth certificates - are allowed to avoid the gruelling two-year stint if they have a doctor's certificate confirming their sex-change.

Footage from Phitsanulok province shows how stunning beauty pageant queen Naritsara, 22, drew admiring looks when she attended the event to file her exemption this morning.

While the lads had to take off their tops and have their chests measured, Naritsara wore a cream dress and high heels while being interviewed by local television crews.

Glamorous part-time model Naritsara, who was born male, said: "We have to bring the medical certificate from a doctor to prove our gender so we will be exempt from the process.

''I love my country and understand that this is something everybody has to do.

But I am not a male, I'm a transgender woman.

I'm proud of who I am and proud to come here and show everybody.'' Thai males have the option to study the military for three years in secondary school or attend the national service recruitment, where draws are made to choose who is selected.

College and university graduates can also have shorter one-year stints in the military if they volunteer.

Some young men also volunteer for the national service because they want to join the army.

Kraiwit Machom, 21, went to the tent to volunteer himself to fulfil his mother's wish.

He said: "My mother always wanted one of her sons to be a soldier so I decided to volunteer to make her proud.

The job itself is not bad as the military takes care of all its recruits and the career is rewarding.'' Thailand's military includes the Army, the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force and has around 300,000 state employees.

The country's government was also formed by the military following a coup in 2014 and the prime minister is career soldier General Prayut Chan-o-cha.