In Thailand, military service is compulsory for all men aged 21. This annual event, known as the military draft lottery, creates a unique societal intersection where transgender women—locally known as kathoey or ladyboys—must navigate state requirements that often conflict with their lived gender identity. The Conscription Lottery Process

Draft Paper: The Intersection of Identity and State in the Thai Military Draft

: Despite identifying as female, trans women are legally required to attend the draft because their legal status at birth remains "male". Exemption and Visibility

: In recent years, this event has gone viral as trans women, including beauty queens, arrive at recruitment centers in full makeup and evening gowns to submit their paperwork. Social and Legal Implications