Hi everyone,

Thanks for a lively and helpful forum here.

Can anyone help with this: My friend works in Chonburi and has a WP obtained by her employer. She holds a French passport and will shortly return to Paris for 6 months.

1.Does she need to obtain any kind of visa before returning to Thailand in October 2016?
2.Is a re-entry visa stamp sufficient obtained from Jomtien Immigration?

The WP is valid until December 2016.

Thanks very much for any useful info!

A work permit does not allow a person to stay in the country. Only a visa or extension of stay allows that.

If she has a valid multiple entry non-b issued by an embassy or consulate it would remain valid. If she has an extension of stay based upon working it ends on the date she stops working.

It seems she will need a new visa before entering the country or she could get a 30 day visa exempt entry.

Thanks for that ubonjoe. Does this mean the application for a WP starts again when she returns in October?
Surely those with WPs take vacations all the time?

Many thanks for your help with this

Who gets 6 months off in Thailand and keeps their job (excepting the owner of course).

If she has an extension to stay until December 2016 and her work permit is not canceled, the reentry permit will keep her extension to stay valid when she returns. I know several people that left Thailand for extended periods on temporary assignments and they had no problem keeping work permit and extentions valid during absence.

TH

Thanks for that ubonjoe. Does this mean the application for a WP starts again when she returns in October?

Surely those with WPs take vacations all the time?

Many thanks for your help with this

The work permit is tied to an employer. Unless she will be keeping her current jog the work permit will go away along with the job.

Thanks everyone. She IS keeping her present job. She's a volunteer (unpaid obviously but still requiring a WP) and will come back to exactly the same job in 6 months.

'thaihome' is suggesting that a re-entry permit is all that's required. Do others agree?

Thanks again!

If she has an extension to stay until December 2016 and her work permit is not canceled, the reentry permit will keep her extension to stay valid when she returns. I know several people that left Thailand for extended periods on temporary assignments and they had no problem keeping work permit and extentions valid during absence.

TH

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That assumes her employer will keep the job open until she returns.

That would be contingent on the employer agreeing to it.

Her employer has agreed to keep the job open. Should she obtain a letter from them to that effect?

Thanks everyone. She IS keeping her present job. She's a volunteer (unpaid obviously but still requiring a WP) and will come back to exactly the same job in 6 months.

'thaihome' is suggesting that a re-entry permit is all that's required. Do others agree?

Thanks again!

That is dependent upon how long her current extension is valid for. A re-entry permit is only valid until the current extension ends.

Some volunteer jobs only allow 90 day extensions up to a total stay of one year. Then a new non-o visa is needed to start the one year again.