Up until today I worked as a foreign teacher holding a Non-B extension, Dutch national.
This afternoon someone from PR and myself went to cancel my work permit succesfully.
However, after that we didn't manage to cancel my visa due to lack of/wrong documents.
The office said to come back on Monday because of the time (it was nearly 5pm).
The problem is that I am going on a trip from Monday to Thursday and I will exit Thailand on October 2. I explained this to the immigration officer and told him that I worry that there will be a big fine waiting for me when I arrive in Thailand in a couple of years for holiday. I heard something about this before.
The immigration officer then told me that I actually don't have to cancel my visa if I plan to stay out of Thailand for longer than a year. He said that there won't be any fine in that case.
Question: Is this correct? Can I just leave Thailand after cancelling my work permit but without cancelling my visa, and come back to Thailand for a holiday in 2 or 3 years without getting fined upon arrival?
TLDR : Answer Summary
The immigration officer stated that if you leave Thailand for more than a year, you do not need to cancel your visa to avoid fines. While canceling your work permit is necessary, not officially canceling your visa may not cause issues when returning as a tourist later. However, complications could arise if you seek another job in Thailand and your previous visa situation is questioned.
