I hope someone on ThaiVisa knows through experience, or can figure out, how to sort this out; the person in charge of visas, work permits, etc. here is more or less useless.

I have been in Bangkok since 1991 on the same visa, a Non-Imm B, with a work permit until last year when I quit my job and switched to a retirement extension (a very simple procedure at Suan Plu). Due to the economic mess, I decided it would be prudent to go back to work for a few years more. The new job is at a major university in Bangkok.

My visa is until the end of this month, June 30, but the academic year has already begun. As I understand it, the visa extension is granted after the work permit application has been made, but the work permit people will not accept the application since I'm still on a retirement extension (even though there are only about 15 days left on the current extension).

Does anyone know how this Catch 22 might be resolved? Would Immigration be likely to grant a short, ordinary extension of, maybe, 2 weeks to 1 month or so, thus cancelling my retirement extension immediately, to allow the work permit office to accept the application? The secretary in charge of visas, etc. claims she has tried calling immigration but they aren't answering their phones. She told me that I have to go down to Suan Plu and try to get this sorted out all by myself- and VERY soon- tomorrow or Thursday. (I did say she was not of much help.) The higher admin people have been informed, but I don't know if they have any idea or whether they may have any leverage to help in sorting this out.

Help!

And Thanks.

The labor department will not accept an application if you are on an extension based upon retirement.

You may have to go out and get a visa. You could get a 7 day extension at immigration but that would not be enough time. Since you are teaching you may be able to get a non-b visa without the work permit application. If not then get a non-o since you are over 50 it will be easy to get.

Labour will not issue the WP on the retirement extension, ask them for the WP3 form that state you will get the WP after you get an extension from immigration. Then take this form to immigraiton and ask for an extension of stay based on employment. Witht the extension of stay based on employement you go back to labour and can get a work permit.

Thanks very much for the very quick replies! But...

I went to the secretary and this is what I was told: She claims to have asked about the WP3 form but the person at the WP office said that I have to go to Immigration first and, I guess, get some sort of (unspecified) extension, then go back to the WP office and make the application, then go to Immigration a 2nd time to get the full extension.

What do you folks make of this? The higher admin people are aware that the secretary "doesn't always get things right". But we're stuck with her and have to somehow make do.

Sigh!

I think what she telling you about what the labor office said is correct. They will not accept the application if you are on a retirement extension. If they accepted the application and you have the WP3 you could start working on that date which would go against their regulations.

As for immigration you could go and ask for a 7 day extension but they may not do that until your current extension runs out.

Thanks for all the replies. The higher admin people are having a meeting as I type and have put my situation on the agenda. I will try to keep everyone posted, just in case someone else gets into the same situation.

In the meantime, if anyone else has any thoughts, I'm all ears/eyes. I will be checking this thread frequently before heading down to Immigration tomorrow to see what they say.

Have just come back from Immigration, and here's the bottom line:

I have to leave the country and get a new non-imm visa because the application is being made too late.

They wouldn't grant an extension as it is now less than 21 days until the end of the current visa. If the work permit office would only accept an application contingent on the new extension, then immigration could grant one, but... Gee, if the university had inquired earlier (the employment decision was made back in February) we could've gotten all this sorted out at the end of May or the beginning of June without me having to leave the country. Sigh! Oh, well, I will have a short vacation in Vientiane next week. Been wanting to go back there anyway...

I hope this will be of benefit to somebody someday.