Thousands Flock to Passport Office Leading to Crush Incident... Fallout from Myanmar Military Regime's Forced Conscription

'Military Manpower Shortage' Myanmar Junta Begins Forced Conscription
Bribes Offered to Obtain Passports

As the Myanmar military junta has begun forced conscription to reinforce its troops, many are trying to flee the country to avoid it. However, thousands of people crowded the passport office, resulting in a crush accident that left two dead. On the 20th, local media Myanmar Now and AFP reported that a crowd gathered at the passport issuance office in Mandalay, Myanmar's second-largest city, the previous morning, causing the accident.

On the 16th (local time), people waiting to apply for visas in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand, USA. [Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

About 5,000 Myanmar citizens waited in line overnight to receive passports. When the office opened, the crowd surged all at once, turning the scene into chaos. The office can only process about 2,000 passport applications per day. However, due to the overwhelming number of people, a woman in her 50s and a woman in her 30s were crushed to death, and one person suffered a broken leg after being trampled in the crowd.

The Myanmar military junta, struggling against offensives by ethnic armed groups, recently initiated forced conscription to reinforce its forces. On the 10th, the junta announced the enforcement of a conscription law requiring all men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 to serve two years in the military. Professionals such as doctors under 45 years old are required to serve for three years.

The junta stated that starting from mid-April, after Myanmar's largest holiday, the New Year festival, it will conscript 5,000 people monthly. According to the conscription law, citizens who fail to fulfill their military service obligations face up to five years in prison.

On the 16th (local time), applicants waiting for visa processing in front of the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand, USA. [Image source=EPA Yonhap News]

As the number of young people trying to escape forced conscription abroad has surged, overnight waiting lines at passport offices continue. Some have even started selling waiting tickets, making passport applications even more difficult. Waiting tickets are reportedly traded on the black market for about 500,000 won, and bribes are exchanged to expedite passport issuance.

At the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand, located in Yangon, Myanmar's largest city, about 1,000 young people gather daily to obtain visas. As the number of Myanmar nationals fleeing to Thailand rapidly increases, the Myanmar Embassy in Thailand has limited visa applications to 400 per day since the 15th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.