His problem seems to be finding employment at the present time, rather that being on a retirement extension of stay.

The retirement extension of stay is the same one year extension of stay provided others and should qualify for the 3 year PR application (the problem was not the stay time did not qualify for the three years but that they would not approve those on retirement in my understanding). If working I expect that could change for some cases.

Everyone now will get a one year work permit and it will be max. 20,000 Baht. Before if you had a visa expiring in 80 days, even if on page 5 of your work permit you were granted a one year work permit, it was valid for 80 days. You then needed to revalidate the work permit in 80 days by showing you had gotten a new visa or extension of stay permit. Now you will no longer need to do this revalidation.

Your costs will unfortunately go up because of the increase of government fees to max. 20,000 Baht for the year.

Any update on this? Anyone had to pay 20,000 Baht for a one-year work permit yet? Is this applicable to ALL non-imm. B visa holders?