Cancelled Work Permit - Option A Or B?

[wormdrive]

My background situation is this: I have lived in Thailand for several years. For the entire duration of my stay here, I have always had a Work Permit and the corresponding Visa. I have already been issued three(3) one (1) year Visas. I have had to “do” to runs to Penang over the years to get a new Non-B, but the last year I didn’t even have to leave the country – the employer took care of everything. I have a good 12 passport pages of assorted extensions and “under consideration” and various other stamps from Thailand.

For 3 years I worked for the same employer – then I got restless. I left that employer over a summer break and went to work for another company in April of last year. The last work permit/visa issued by my former employer was good until October of last year. So, from April until October I worked for this other company using my WP/V issued from my previous employer. (Yes I know that it was technically a violation). However, I found I didn’t like this employer and returned to my former one in October. I don’t know if they ever cancelled the work permit. But, they renewed it for me again for a year… lucky me.

However, I got restless with them again in January of this year. So, I worked for them from October until January – the WP/V was good until September of this year (issued back in October of 04).

The new company I worked for immediately cancelled the work permit from my previous employer. And this fact is stamped into my passport. They then got a WP/V good for only 5 months because they have to show I pay taxes for my new salary. THAT work permit is good until June of this year.

However, I left that job after only 6 weeks. That company informed me that they would cancel my work permit within 7 days, and this would affect my Visa.

That was 3 weeks ago. I will have a new job that starts about the 3rd week of March.

So, this is where I stand and here is my question. I know that my question skirts with illegal issues but I just need some opinions. Thanks.

OPTION A: I know that I have a couple of options: The legal one, which is to go to immigration return the work permit, pay a fine- how much would that be?, tell them I don’t have a job and that I overstayed 20 days, pay about 4,000 in fines (200baht per day) – do a run to Cambodia – come back on a 30 day tourist visa. Wait for about 3 weeks until my new job starts and have them go through the process of getting me a new WP/V.

Or

OPTION B: Stay here a little longer, maybe a week or two, and then just head to Cambodia on the Non B visa extension (expires June), have them cancel it and re-enter on a tourist Visa. Then go to immigration and return the Work Permit book to them and tell them I quit the job a couple of days ago. Then show them that I have already left the country and have the proper tourist Visa.

QUESTION: Will the border immigration pose a problem with me leaving with 3 months still valid on my Visa? And if they ask why I don’t have a re-entry, I can say a quit 2 days ago? And all is well? Should I leave the country first then return the WP, or should this be done vice versa.

If OPTION B is exercised will my future employer have any problems securing a new WP/V for me?

Rather long winded I know, but wanted you to have a good understanding of the background. Hopefully, it will save me 5 postings answering questions for additional information.

Thanks in advance for your opinions, any other advice would also be appreciated.