According to a report compiled by the Spring Revolution Database (SRD), the Myanmar military detained 12,655 youths for forced conscription during ten rounds of conscription campaigns.
On February 10, 2024, coup leader Min Aung Hlaing declared the enforcement of the “People’s Military Service Law,” leading to the initiation of the first conscription round in May 2024. Between February 11, 2024, and February 4, 2025, a total of 12,655 civilians were reportedly detained by the military for conscription.
Of those detained, 11,497 were captured during the day, while 1,158 were taken at night. The targeted age group included youths between 18 and 35, many of whom attempted illegal border crossings to evade forced recruitment.
Those fleeing conscription faced arrests abroad, with 3,339 detained in Thailand, 300 in Malaysia, and 26 in India, bringing the total to 3,665 detainees. In 2024 alone, 1,433 Myanmar nationals were repatriated from various prisons in southern Thailand. Among these, 168 civilians were transferred from Ranong, Thailand, to Kawthaung, Myanmar, via maritime routes. They were reportedly handed over to Military Infantry Battalion 262 and Military Training School No. 12 (Central Command-12) in Palauk for forced recruitment into the military.
This report underscores the military’s aggressive enforcement of conscription laws, highlighting the challenges and risks civilians face as they attempt to escape detention, abuse, and forced recruitment both within and outside Myanmar’s borders.
