Returning A Work Permit- Necessary After All?

[bokeh]

In my continuing saga of returning to work after a year's "retirement", the new twist is that the dept. secretary was just told (for the first time) by the work permit office today that they will not accept my application for a work permit because I did not return my previous one. Of course, when I quit my job in June last year, the word was that it was not necessary to return the wp. That was confirmed by the dept. secretary at my previous employer. And there was a thread here by one person who was told directly by the wp office that his trip to return the wp was totally unnecessary. Back last June I had the letter of termination of employment, went to immigration and switched from the work extension to the retirement extension with no hitches at all.

The previous problem this time around was that the wp office wouldn't accept the application since it had "retirement" stamped by the visa in the passport, and immigration wouldn't grant any sort of extension since there were less than 21 days remaining on my retirement extension. So, I went to Vientiane to get a brand new non-imm B and everything was AOK. Then today...

(my previous post on this topic was: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Work-Retirem...l-t273584.html)

Does anybody know anything about this? Have the rules changed AGAIN? Or is this just a case of the particular individual she talked to today? (She's even more frustrated with those people than I am.) Does anyone know of a source of the actual regulation? I've seen the info on the link: http://www.dejudomlaw.com/index.php?option...09&Itemid=9

which was posted in the thread: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Documents-Ne...l&p=2589077

But it would be nice to have something official.

Help! This is getting "boring"! (Sigh!)

[Mario2008]

I have not seen anything from an official government website confirming that you no longer nee to return the WP. I did see another lawfirm also confirming it. But unfortunately the website of the ministry of laour are not the most informative in English.

Try to contact Dejudomlaw where they got their information from. It might also be nice to know where your labour office is located.

[bokeh]

It's the Dindang office here in Bangkok.

[Mario2008]

Surprising, normaly it are the offices up country who are not following the rules.

Don't know if the rules hanged, but you have been the first case I heard of having a problem. Even if the rules did change, when you quit your job it seem to have been the rule. Certainly in BKK.

[bokeh]

Gee...any ideas on how to proceed? The secretary says that I have to go to the wp office by myself and get this cleared up. But I'm not keen on going there alone- just in case somebody there has unfriendly ideas. I'm considering hiring someone from one of the law offices to accompany me and try to get this cleared up once and for all. Any recommendations of law firms? There are plenty advertising here and in the papers but if anyone can recommend a place based on their experience, I'd very much appreciate it.

[Mario2008]

Yours is a unique situation. Since you are in a hurry, you might consider also asking your question in the business forum.

Can't recommend a lawyer, as I don't have personal experience with one and for any named others will disagree. Why not try a few, send an email and look which one appeals to you in service, solution and price.

[thaiphoon]

You are getting a hard time because your work permit should previously have been returned to the Labour department At Din Daeng within 7 days of the date of your resignation. This is clearly stated under "Warning" on the last page of your work permit. I would suggest you talk to Khun Ex at Sunbelt (forum sponsor). He is very knowledgable and speaks perfect english. He has always been very helpful to me in the past and has resolved my work permit problems before.

... and I can fully understand the Labour department refusing you a work permit when you presented them with a retirement visa, as you cannot work (or obtain a work permit) with this visa. It is not a case of the rules changing; it is a case of you not following the rules. Now you hold a Non-B visa this particular aspect is overcome. As mentioned, suggest you talk to Sunbelt about how best to resolve. Do you still have your previous work permit? I imagine one way or other the Labour department is going to want that back before re-issuing another. You may also be fined 1,000 baht for failing to return your work permit. Chok dii.

[Mario2008]

You are getting a hard time because your work permit should previously have been returned to the Labour department At Din Daeng within 7 days of the date of your resignation. This is clearly stated under "Warning" on the last page of your work permit. I would suggest you talk to Khun Ex at Sunbelt (forum sponsor). He is very knowledgable and speaks perfect english. He has always been very helpful to me in the past and has resolved my work permit problems before.

I guess you didn't read the OP and followed the links. It has been clearly stated that the return of the WP is no longer needed, so it would be nice to know what is going on.

The question about what the curent rules are will be very important to all members with a WP.

I advised the OP also to inquire in the business section. As there now 2 topics on this I close this one. Please post further comments here: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Returning-Wo...ot-t277665.html