BangkokPost.com – Anucha Charoenpo
A transexual man is preparing to file a lawsuit with the Administrative Court against the army’s statement in a conscription certificate (Sor Dor 43) which exempted him from service for having a ”mental disorder”. Samart Meecharoen, a 22-year-old student of Ban Somdej Chao Phraya Rajabhat University, said the document, issued two years ago, deprived him of career opportunities as a private firm turned down his application for a part-time job, citing it as the reason. His petition to the court, supported by the National Human Rights Commission, the Lawyers Council of Thailand, the Rainbow Sky Association of Thailand and the Saphan Group representing same-sex lovers, will be submitted to the court on Nov 10.
If the court accepts the case for consideration, it will be the first of its kind in the country.
”I cannot accept it [the mental disorder statement] because I don’t have a mental problem. In fact, I’m a normal guy who feels like a woman,” said Mr Samart, who called himself Nong Namwan. He underwent the military conscription process two years ago in his hometown of Lop Buri province.
He has long hair and has worn women’s clothes for a long time. He has had a breast operation but has yet to change his sex organ.
He said unless the document is changed properly, he would have no chance of working after finishing his studies at university in the next two years.