Hope someone can advise on this.

I renewed my 1 year Thai work permit a few weeks ago and this is in my possession and now valid to June 2011.

I then started the annual renewal of the non B (I say ‘I’ but it was the Thai company’s lawyers who did all the work).

I then took a normal pre-planned trip to the UK, but during this, I became ill and was unable to return within the date specified by the authorities to continue the non B renewal process.

So upon arrival at BKK, I was given a 30 day stamp.

What should I do now to get a new 1 year non B? The company’s lawyers say that I must exit the country within the 30 day period, and show the work permit at an overseas Thai embassy. I would then get a new 1 year non B? Is this correct? Does anyone have any experience of this? Where is it best/quickest to travel to do this? Can it not be done within Thailand?

Any advice GREATLY appreciated!!

Well unfortunately if you have a 30 day stamp then you have a problem that you are not allowed to work on a 30 day stamp so it cancels out the w/p for now...

When you say annual NON-B do you mean an extension of stay based on work if so what is thee hold up? when i had to get one of those a month ago it was done the day i received my w/p.

I would se how long it is going to take the lawyer to sort it out because now you are in limbo, if its gonna take a month or 2 then maybe consider going to laos or malaysia ang getting a 3 month NON-B which will be easy as you already have the work permit

Good luck

You should also have company paperwork along with the work permit to obtain a new 90 day visa entry. If company has advised this route expect there is some reason for it. Even if in-country conversion was possible it would involve additional trip and 2,000 baht fee and can not be done at all location and up to 21 days remaining on permitted to stay might be required.

A one year visa would require you leave the country every 90 days - most people would want a single entry that they then extend stay at Immigration for one year. Visa has advantage of ability to travel frequently and get new 90 days on each entry. Extension of stay allows no travel without obtaining a re-entry permit first. But extension of stay does not require leaving country for full one year period and can be obtained again and again.