I have been asked for advice on a very unusual circumstance and I don't know what to tell them.

 

A friend has been on visa extensions and a WP for several years supported by the same company. He has ended his relationship with that company. Now he is looking to get a tourist visa while sorting new employment. The WP has not been cancelled yet so that is not an issue. Will he be able to get a tourist visa having lived and worked here for so many years?

 

He has a secondary problem of his extension (permission to stay) expiring tomorrow and he wants to do a visa run to Penang the day after. With the new 5 year blacklist rule if you get caught with 1 day overstay,(i.e. not surrender) I am advising him against this. Does he have an option of obtaining another extension to give him some more time and to avoid being on overstay?

No problem in obtaining a toruist visa.

 

New overstay rules are not in effect yet, but he can get an extra 7 days for 1,900 baht.

After 3 years of out/in visa extensions, my partner went to Penang this week to get a tourist visa. No problems in Penang or at DMK immigration.