Help with visa

[NinjaNick]

Hey all, long story short I was scheduled to go back to Thailand end of july with a non immigrant visa to teach (I've been offered a job) however, a bit of an emergency has come up and I've had to move my ticket date forward to the 20th... unfortunately this does not give me enough time to complete the necessary steps to obtaining my non-immigrant visa. The school emailed me today and told me that I should then apply for a 60 day tourist visa and then once i arrive in Thailand, I should sign a contract with them and complete the necessary steps to obtaining a work permit and have my tourist visa converted into a 1 year non-immigrant 0 visa... is this possible? any other suggestions?

[Mario2008]

Unless volunteering or married to a Thai, you would aply for a non-B visa.

Yes, it is possible to convert from a tourist visa, but often it is easier to get a non-B visa straight away. Which you could also do in a neighbouring country.

If you have time to apply for a tourist visa, and you have 10 days it seems, you will have time to apply for a non-B visa with help of the school. Having the school contact the consulate and email them necesarry documents directly might do wonders.

[NinjaNick]

that was my thinking to but I was told that new rules are in effect and all the paper work must be sent by post which would take a few weeks they said. What is my safest option? I was told that two other foreign teachers converted their 60 day tourist visa to a non-0 a few weeks ago. My concern is that I wouldn't have a departure date specified.... would that matter? would I have too book a ticket to leave the country and go to laos? This is my first time doing anything like this so I apologize for my ignorance. I know all my questions can be answered by phoning the embassy (I'll do that when i wake up). I just like to have input from others before I get things moving.

[Mario2008]

as said, try to have the school contact the consulate and send them the papers directly.

Often the rules published on their website are less strict in practise and the school contacting them directly will also help.

No for conversion or a toruist visa you do not need a ticket out of Thailand.

[ubonjoe]

You don't say where you are at now.

If there are honorary Thai consulates there you would find that they are more helpful than a embassy or official consulate. And they will issue the visa much quicker.