A friend of mine has a Non-B visa with a 1 year extension.  He had to return to the USA for some family matters but is still working online for the Thai bank he works for.  It seems like I once read somewhere that if you remain out of Thailand for more than 180 days your extension will be cancelled and you have to start the process over again.  I believe he has a two year work permit and one year extension.  He will be returning before the extension expires.  Is that true or am I misremembering. 🙂

Provided he obtained a re-entry permit before departing, on re-entry he will be stamped in until the expiry date of his current 1-year extension.

I am not so sure if there is an official answer to that question.

 

Whenever a visa is extended there are questions, and the immigration want answers.

In my case the immigration wanted pictures from the office. We gave them pictures of the office, and they didn't like those pictures, and then we made other arrangements...

 

In case of your friend, they might ask how he can work in Thailand if he is not in Thailand. And they might accept an answer, or they might not accept it and give him some other conditions what he needs to renew the visa.

 

A good visa agent is obviously a good idea, but I think there is nothing certain about a case like this. After all, TiT. 

 

1 minute ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Whenever a visa is extended there are questions, and the immigration want answers.

You can't extend a visa.

You extend your permission of stay, which is a permit (of stay) hence the need for a re-entry permit.

 

The OP's friend won't have any problems entering if he has a re-entry permit.
He will be stamped in up to the expiry date of his current 1-year permission of stay.

Usually two weeks is my max but I've stretched it to 3 couple of times. More than that, I just can't stay away that long. 🤷