Leaving Thailand Without Cancelling My Work Permit

[Bkk2019]

Dear TV Members, 

 

I rushed out of Thailand without informing my employer and returning/cancelling my work permit due to a sudden family emergency.

My questions are: Can my employer cancel my work permit even though I haven't returned it?

If I go back to Thailand on a tourist visa, will they let me in? Will I be able to solve this problem by paying a fine? 

At this point, would it still be necessary to visit the department of labour and return the work permit?

If I wanted to get another job in Thailand, what problems may I encounter? How to solve them? Can my new employer sort this out for me?

 

Sorry for asking so many questions at once and thanks in advance!

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Bkk2019 said:

Can my employer cancel my work permit even though I haven't returned it?

Yes.

 

1 hour ago, Bkk2019 said:

If I go back to Thailand on a tourist visa, will they let me in?

Yes. 

 

Is there any time left of the extension to stay that was granted based on the job/WP, and if so do you have a re-entry permit protecting that stay?

 

1 hour ago, Bkk2019 said:

If I wanted to get another job in Thailand, what problems may I encounter? How to solve them? Can my new employer sort this out for me?

If you didn’t formally cancel your extension of stay with immigration they may insist that’s done before issuing a new extension.

 

The Department of Labour might not issue a new WP until the old WP is formally cancelled.

[Bkk2019]

 

10 minutes ago, elviajero said:

Is there any time left of the extension to stay that was granted based on the job/WP, and if so do you have a re-entry permit protecting that stay?

 

If you didn’t formally cancel your extension of stay with immigration they may insist that’s done before issuing a new extension.

 

The Department of Labour might not issue a new WP until the old WP is formally cancelled.

My extension of stay was valid until June 2019 but since I left without a re-entry permit, it must have been cancelled. That's why I mentioned the tourist visa. 

 

So, once I go back you suggest that I go to the Department of Labour and cancel my old WP?

 

Thanks a lot for your response

[elviajero]

1 hour ago, Bkk2019 said:

My extension of stay was valid until June 2019 but since I left without a re-entry permit, it must have been cancelled. That's why I mentioned the tourist visa. 

 

So, once I go back you suggest that I go to the Department of Labour and cancel my old WP?

 

Thanks a lot for your response

Yes, it would be good idea to make sure it’s cancelled if you’re planning on working again.

[Neeranam]

12 hours ago, elviajero said:

Yes, it would be good idea to make sure it’s cancelled if you’re planning on working again.

It's only 1500 baht if you apply for a new WP, not having cancelled the previous one. Had to go to the police station to pay.

[Bkk2019]

11 minutes ago, Neeranam said:

It's only 1500 baht if you apply for a new WP, not having cancelled the previous one. Had to go to the police station to pay.

You guys make it sound easy and honestly, that's what I hope. I've been reading tons of posts and asking questions to many people and they all say different things. Someone even told me that "if I have been away for less than 90 days, I will have to pay a fine of 500 baht/day. If i come back after 90 days, I will be denied entry". I'll call the Thai embassy here and see what they say.

[ubonjoe]

41 minutes ago, Bkk2019 said:

Someone even told me that "if I have been away for less than 90 days, I will have to pay a fine of 500 baht/day. If i come back after 90 days, I will be denied entry". I'll call the Thai embassy here and see what they say.

That is nonsense. You will not be fined or anything else since you have left the country already.

The only that you could have after you return to the country and try to apply for a new extension of stay. Some office are insisting the previous extension be formally canceled to get a new one.

[JackThompson]

8 hours ago, Bkk2019 said:

Someone even told me that "if I have been away for less than 90 days, I will have to pay a fine of 500 baht/day. If i come back after 90 days, I will be denied entry". I'll call the Thai embassy here and see what they say.

Those are for cases where a person's job ends, but they remain in the country.  When your job ends, your extension ends, so it's "overstay" if you don't leave or get a new extension at that point.  You left the job and the country at the same time, so no overstay would be incurred.

[Bkk2019]

Thanks a lot for your time and responses, guys. I really appreciate.

 

A lady at the office where I worked told me that my work permit has not been cancelled.

I guess they are doing it on purpose to "teach me a lesson", which is understandable.

 

I also reached out to Integrity Legal Law Firm and they said "The employer must cancel the permit or pay a fine, failure on their part to do so could cause you problems in getting a new permit." 

This statement seems to suggest that the employer is the ONLY one who can cancel it, however elviajero and neeranam are saying I can do it myself ???? (I want to believe you guys!)

 

I'll keep this updated, it might be useful for somebody else later on.

[Bkk2019]

30 minutes ago, hereforgood said:

 

hereforgood, any chance you can give me the contact of that agent, so I go back trouble free? That would be amazing. Was it expensive? Thanks a lot. I live in Chonburi, too.

[hereforgood]

4 hours ago, hereforgood said:

hereforgood, any chance you can give me the contact of that agent, so I go back trouble free? That would be amazing. Was it expensive? Thanks a lot. I live in Chonburi, too.

PM Sent

[scorecard]

On 2/28/2019 at 12:30 AM, Bkk2019 said:

Thanks a lot for your time and responses, guys. I really appreciate.

 

A lady at the office where I worked told me that my work permit has not been cancelled.

I guess they are doing it on purpose to "teach me a lesson", which is understandable.

 

I also reached out to Integrity Legal Law Firm and they said "The employer must cancel the permit or pay a fine, failure on their part to do so could cause you problems in getting a new permit." 

This statement seems to suggest that the employer is the ONLY one who can cancel it, however elviajero and neeranam are saying I can do it myself ???? (I want to believe you guys!)

 

I'll keep this updated, it might be useful for somebody else later on.

1. Don't rush to believe what law firms say.

 

2. Years back I quickly became dissatisfied with a job, I resigned on the spot and the same day I took the work permit and a copy of my resignation letter to the Labour Ministry office where it was issued, at Din Daeng. I had to fill in a simple form to return the WP, no detailed interview at all, no hassle, no fee, all done in 10 minutes. 

 

 

[Bkk2019]

On 3/1/2019 at 11:55 PM, scorecard said:

1. Don't rush to believe what law firms say.

 

2. Years back I quickly became dissatisfied with a job, I resigned on the spot and the same day I took the work permit and a copy of my resignation letter to the Labour Ministry office where it was issued, at Din Daeng. I had to fill in a simple form to return the WP, no detailed interview at all, no hassle, no fee, all done in 10 minutes. 

 

 

Thanks a lot for your comment! 

 

My problem is that... I do not have a resignation letter. I rushed out of Thailand for a family emergency.

So, I'll probably have to pay a fine as others said. That's ok though, I understand.

I just hope that's that. Just worried it won't be that easy. I've never been in this situation before.

Anyway, I am flying back to Thailand tonight. Let's see how it goes.

[Neeranam]

On 2/28/2019 at 12:30 AM, Bkk2019 said:

Thanks a lot for your time and responses, guys. I really appreciate.

 

A lady at the office where I worked told me that my work permit has not been cancelled.

I guess they are doing it on purpose to "teach me a lesson", which is understandable.

 

I also reached out to Integrity Legal Law Firm and they said "The employer must cancel the permit or pay a fine, failure on their part to do so could cause you problems in getting a new permit." 

This statement seems to suggest that the employer is the ONLY one who can cancel it, however elviajero and neeranam are saying I can do it myself ???? (I want to believe you guys!)

 

I'll keep this updated, it might be useful for somebody else later on.

The form to fill in is here.

 

http://www.person.ku.ac.th/new_personweb/per_7/ใบแจ้งยกเลิกการอนุญาตทำงาน.pdf

[MiNombreEsFicticious]

 

On 2/28/2019 at 12:30 AM, Bkk2019 said:

Thanks a lot for your time and responses, guys. I really appreciate.

 

A lady at the office where I worked told me that my work permit has not been cancelled.

I guess they are doing it on purpose to "teach me a lesson", which is understandable.

 

I also reached out to Integrity Legal Law Firm and they said "The employer must cancel the permit or pay a fine, failure on their part to do so could cause you problems in getting a new permit." 

This statement seems to suggest that the employer is the ONLY one who can cancel it, however elviajero and neeranam are saying I can do it myself ???? (I want to believe you guys!)

 

I'll keep this updated, it might be useful for somebody else later on.

I lived the nightmare last year, when the company I was ending employment with refused to cancel my work permit just for sheer spite (and because I sued them in labour court and won, so suck on that, ex-boss.  I had a new job lined up right away but the new employer insisted I clean up all the WP and ext. of stay cancellations before they would apply for my new work permit. I wasted months of time and months' worth of salary to get it sorted. Almost 5 months in total. If you want to know any more specifics or need a recommendation for a visa agent to help, feel free to PM me. 

[Bkk2019]

I was reading the form but the thing is... I have neither resigned nor was I laid off by my employer... I took a plane and left after a urgent call from my family, so I am not sure whether this applies to me.

 

All I've got in my hands at the moment is the work permit & passport. No resignation letter etc.

 

Do you suggest I can just go to the police station with this form filled out and 1,500 baht cash and sort it out? That sounds almost too good to be true, although I deeply hope it is true.

 

On 4/9/2019 at 7:58 AM, Neeranam said:

The form to fill in is here.

 

http://www.person.ku.ac.th/new_personweb/per_7/ใบแจ้งยกเลิกการอนุญาตทำงาน.pdf

 

[Bkk2019]

Even agencies I contacted said that they couldn't do it without the resignation letter, so I finally decided to call my ex boss, apologized, explained the situation and said that I was willing to pay a fine or whatever in order to escape this nightmarish situation I put myself into. He asked for some photos of the departure and arrival stamp and said that he would call his lawyer and get back to me later. 

[steven100]

sounds like you made your bed.

You didn't have the decency to advise your boss of your family problem, thereby acknowledgement from him to let you leave.

[Neeranam]

On 4/11/2019 at 1:02 AM, Bkk2019 said:

I was reading the form but the thing is... I have neither resigned nor was I laid off by my employer... I took a plane and left after a urgent call from my family, so I am not sure whether this applies to me.

 

All I've got in my hands at the moment is the work permit & passport. No resignation letter etc.

 

Do you suggest I can just go to the police station with this form filled out and 1,500 baht cash and sort it out? That sounds almost too good to be true, although I deeply hope it is true.

 

 

Do you plan to come back to Thailand and work?

 

Don't worry,  it won't be a big problem. Just take it to the labor dept.  and explain.

[Bkk2019]

9 hours ago, Neeranam said:

Do you plan to come back to Thailand and work?

 

Don't worry,  it won't be a big problem. Just take it to the labor dept.  and explain.

I am back and sorting things out with my ex boss. After Songkran I should be able to get it cancelled ????