Should I renew my work permit before leaving Thailand, and can I extend my stay when I return?

Well, I can still hear the quotes from both departments officers in my head after that whole odissey: „Take care not to let any of those documents expire as they will cancel each other if one of them expires“. This is actually what happened to me. The only thing I am saying is to better fix everything NOW before expiry and don’t try to fix things later on. It will most likely get expensive and tedious.

@Sas***

, no they work exactly the same whether you're in Phuket or Bangkok

you are confusing an extension of stay that you get from the immigration office with a VISA that you get from a thai consulate :/ They are not treated the same

@Tod ********

well, maybe things in Phuket are different then. Actually this little detail forced me to renew all my documents on the expensive way at that time. WP ran out, therefore non B got cancelled before expiry and I had to re-enter Thailand as a regular Tourist. Then take all my documents to Penang, apply for a new non-B, fly back to Phuket, make a new WP, spend thousands of bahts, loose time and miss other jobs also. Remember that there are two players: Immigration and also the Labour Department. They have different rules but can both affect both documents.

@Sas***

, the O/P holds a year-long, multi-entry Non-B visa that they got at a thai consulate outside the country. That visa doesn't cancel whether the person has a work permit or not. He could use it until it expires.

ONLY extensions of stays work like you mention. ;)

you are almost right ;)

A VISA never cancels when a work permit expires. It's good as long as it's good for.

An extension of stay can be canceled and in theory needs to be canceled when your work permit expires.

@Jos***

, without a valid work permit (or proof you have applied for one) I don't think you can get a Non-B from either thai consulate in Vietnam. :/

So you have a year-long multi-entry Non-B visa that you got at a thai consulate in another country right?