Many in Myanmar consider fleeing to Thailand to escape conscription into an army they despise

People wait in line to enter into the Thai Embassy for visa appointments in Yangon, Myanmar on Feb 20, 2024. - AP

BANGKOK: Thwel, a 25-year-old schoolteacher, saw very few options left to her after Myanmar’s military announced it is implementing conscription to fill its ranks.

"As a person living in this country, I only have two options: to go abroad illegally or die here,” Thwel told The Associated Press by phone while travelling to a border area to try crossing into Thailand with a small group of like-minded people.