Myanmar military announces conscription; long lines for visas in front of neighboring Thai embassy. Young people hoping to leave the country to avoid conscription.
forming a line. A 20-year-old man said, ''He doesn't want to be a soldier, so he wants to leave Myanmar and go to Thailand to attend school.'' Since last fall in Myanmar, pro-democracy forces and ethnic minority armed groups have been intensifying their offensive against the military in various places. The military is thought to be facing a shortage of troops due to the deaths and surrender of soldiers.