A newly conscripted soldier who was forcibly recruited by the military council after being deported from Thailand has defected to the People’s Defense Force (PDF) in Kawthaung Township, Tanintharyi Region. The defector, Ko Min Min (not his real name), was part of the 11th batch of military recruits and made contact with the Kawthaung Township PDF on April 1st to surrender. He was initially arrested in Thailand and transferred from Ranong to Kawthaung, where the military council forcibly recruited him as a new soldier and sent him to Battalion 431 in Kawthaung Township.
According to a responsible official from the Kawthaung Township PDF, Ko Min Min escaped during morning assembly and did not bring any weapons with him. The military council has been systematically forcing all deportees from Thailand into military service. It was learned that a total of five people attempted to escape together, but four were caught by military council troops and were beaten during their capture, according to local residents. Currently, the defector Ko Min Min is being safely harbored by the Kawthaung Township PDF, which has warmly welcomed him and is providing necessary assistance.
The military council has been systematically forcing deportees from Thailand into military service, which constitutes a violation of international law. The PDF has announced that civilians who are forcibly recruited against their will can contact nearby People’s Defense Forces for help, and defectors will be safely received. This incident highlights the ongoing practice of forced recruitment by the military council and their oppressive actions against civilians, while also demonstrating the role of resistance forces in providing safe haven for those who choose to escape military service.
