In Thailand, they worship Ya Nak, the spirit that helps to escape military service

Each year, the armed forces recruit about 100,000 men over the age of 21. Less than half (40% in 2018) are volunteers, the rest is designated in a lottery, the only one in which no one wants to win the prize, organized by the army.

Everyone dreams of receiving the black ticket, the exemption and not the red, synonymous with two years lost in the barracks. Those most affected by the odds will be sent to the southern tip of Thailand, where fighting against a Muslim separatist rebellion has claimed more than 7,000 lives since 2004. Soldiers are a favorite target of insurgents.

For men afflicted by the prospect of military service, the Ya Nak Shrine ("Grandmother Nak"), in the temple of Wat Mahbut, is a must. Legend has it that Nak died during a birth while her husband was involved in a war. The golden statue, which represents her sitting with a baby, is surrounded by flowers, offerings and traditional costumes.

Many men, the only support of the house, come with the hope of avoiding enlistment. "I am the only one to work" and "we have a lot to pay, especially our car," says Thawatchai Saisawang, father of a girl.

Pasakorn Raksri, a transgender woman, whose transformation is not over yet, does not want to spend two years in a barracks. "My physical appearance is not exactly what the army is looking for," sighs the 21-year-old student. Thailand has a large number of transgender people and people who have undergone operations do not have the obligation of military service.

Young people come to the Wat Mahabut pagoda after the draw to thank Ya Nak. Utain Kamrit, a factory worker, "begged Ya Nak" to help him and was lucky to win the last remaining black ticket. "The first thing that came to my mind was to come" to thank, account.

The issue of military service is a sensitive issue in Thailand, headed by a military junta since 2014.