How far in advance can I extend my work permit in Thailand?

Everybody can get 2 year WP from the socond year onwards. Its been like that for ages.

Volunteers can get 2 years.

@Ll***

, I know the two year extension of stay was only BIO but I thought that regular people could get a 2 year work permit.

I'll hafta check and will report back ;) .

I thought, (probably wrongly), that was only for BOI companies ?

@Sha***

, there are a TON of foreigner (especially it seems down south or on the islands) which for one reason or another go to Penang and pull year-long, multi-entry Non-B visas rather than do extensions of stays.

Okay

Shayne Rochfort - Criteria for Volunteers or teachers are a complete different matter again. Not same paper work either.

I really only know about volunteers and it's convoluted with social department into the mix also, but if you have a work permit, a letter from social, you get a one year visa. I can't see why flying to get a new visa is simpler/cheaper than immigration. The lawyer has to prepare documents either way and new visas have got to impact work permit applications.

Different criteria and paperwork to apply for extension then to get a new Visa abroad.

We like to travel ;-)

Same reason as Julia, plenty of me but not enough of them :-)

Used to be...send the passport only to the border...then it became make a fake visa stamp from a potato! 🤣🤣

Used to be "Money for nothing and chicks for free"

Now it's still Money for nothing but the chicks have become Ladyboys"

Yup... been doing non B for 12-13 years...but never been easy... just easier 😃...cant comment on non O...investment visa had lower requirement b4...after financial crisis...which makes sense...i guess the Thais all go," I remember when it was 25 baht to the GBP" etc b4 the crash lol

It used to be just sooooo easy to get a Multiple NON-O in Penang

Back in time, you didn't need WP to get NON-B if you had a company. Then they changed. 5 years no need for WP if you invest, then it was 3 years and now, I don't know.

How u got non B without WP? 😮

First 90 day visa is years and years back in time.

2 different passports since. I had NON-B for a few years

before I started to do something and got a WP.

Well - I hate work anyway so why am I bothered ?

That's the big 800'000 THB question :-)

8-9 months on WP required...i.e. the balance of the time from first 90 day visa...

Not sure about the bit by bit but it needs to be synched

So you mean I should cut back bit by bit on my Visa till it's in tune with my WP?

Stricter rules as of last year...now better to not do one more 90 days from 'enter before' date...

Where is

@Tod ********

when you need him ;-)

I'm sure he could shed some light on this one.

Hmmmm, i'll be on my border run on the 10th July, so now not sure if I should go to Penang instead and renew my Visa 4 months premature - ohh no, that's not possible either ;-)

So,, I'll take my chances in November ;-)

What's happen last year, I went to Penang to renew my NON-B in August but forgot my WP book.

Jim suggested I have it sent to me, fly back and get it or apply for a single NON-B but at a silly expensive price. So Thursday night I look in my Passport and see, my NON-B only expires on Friday. So came back on the same visa and got 3 months, then went back to Penang in November to get my new visa. That's why I'm now 6 months out of sync with my work permit and visa.

Now I do have my own company too but work for someone else, so not sure if that could make a difference.

Could it be, not used more than 8 months of your WP? e.g 4 months left?

Julia - only 5 - 6 months left Nov - May

WP renewed on the - 26 May 2015

1 year Non-B in Penang - 27 August 2015

WP renewed on the - 26 May 2016

1 year NON-B in Penang - 04 Nov 2016,

My WP renewed again - 26 May 2017

Although, not sure if I still would get it if I wait now until February to renew my Visa

My work permit is always been from onward for 1 year,

Whilst my yearly Visas where in May, the next year in August, then November, ....

Basically, I have 15 times Work Permit but only 12 times visa.

Ahh...only a month early possible

@Julia ***********

yup, its a pain I know, we had to make <1 year WP extensions for a few clients...just to bring it back into sync