I am presently working in Thailand with a valid work permit and visa. My contract will end within a few weeks and the day after my contract ends I will start a new job with a different company. Does anyone know if I am able to get a visa extention in country so I can submit paper work for my new job and new visa and work permit or would I have to leave the country and re-enter and then apply for new visa and work permit? And when my present work permit is returned to the Labour Department do I need evidence that it has been returned before a new one can be issued? Thanks very much.

Your extension of stay will be canceled by immigration the last day you work for your present employer. You can get a 7 day extension from immigration for 1900 THB. After that you would need to leave the country and get a fresh Non-Immigrant visa. If you can get the paperwork into immigration for a new extension of stay before your last day of work, immigration could cancel your extension of stay based on present job and issue a new extension of stay for marriage, retirement, next job etc. You are not responsible for returning your work permit to the Labor Department. It all depends on how fast you and your new employer can get the paperwork together. Slightly different if you happen to have a mutli entry visa that is still valid.