Young workers residing with guest registration at the two-story market building in Pyinmana Night Market, Naypyidaw, were forcibly recruited for military service by the army, according to shop owners. On July 30th at 4 AM, military forces and local administrative bodies surrounded the entire two-story market building and forcibly took away all young workers who were staying there with guest registration for military service. The military claimed they were taking those eligible for military service based on names and ages from the submitted guest registration lists, and transported them away in military vehicles.
During the arrests, they carried administrative office stamps and summons letters, calling out names and ages from the registered guest lists before forcing young people onto military trucks. Some youth were taken away after being told they were eligible for military service because they had registered as guests. Due to these forced military recruitment operations, many other young workers have stopped coming to work and quit their jobs, fearing they would also be arrested for military service. Even in Naypyidaw, which serves as the administrative capital where the military council is based, soldiers continue to enter neighborhoods and markets to make arrests, and detain people at checkpoints under various pretexts.
According to local residents, many young people are fleeing to Thailand and Malaysia due to forced military service fees and porter duties. Some parents are sending their children to other countries through unofficial channels to avoid military service. The military council has announced they will open the 16th batch of military service training this August. The situation has created an atmosphere of fear, particularly among young men who are no longer staying in their communities, with many fleeing to Thailand. Shop owners report that no place is safe anymore, with military forces conducting raids and arrests even in the administrative capital, forcing people to pay military service fees while offering no way to avoid or buy out of service requirements.
