Question about work permission in Thailand

I thought you could only enter on a non-b visa and then your employer goes with you to immigration to get the work permit. My understanding was that you could only apply for a non-b visa outside of Thailand and normally have a time limit to convert to a work permit - this was my process, I was in Thailand on a tourist visa and had to leave to get the non b

You need to re-enter Thailand on a

Non Immigrant type “B” visa.

The company you want to work for in Thailand must file an application on your behalf (the work visa applicant). Once obtained, the work visa is valid for one year

Following situation
I was searching for a job in Thailand and got one at the last days of my non-o visa (under 50 years old).
But now I have to leave the country, because my visa expires soon and have to wait for my work permission.
The work permit was applied before the visa expired, but it is still on progress.
Now my question, can I re enter Thailand (visafree) immediately and wait in Thailand for the working permission and do that process with the re entering again after i got the work permission, or would the status as a tourist prevent the granting of the work permit and I have to wait in another country until they finished the progress?
-@mrzrm

You can't enter on a visa exempt and wait for the work permit. The normal procedure is to wait for the work permit (but not in Thailand) and with the work permit apply for a Non-immigrant B Visa.

@mrzrm 55555

You really got yourself into a mess, but it's a good mess! You can contact a Thai lawyer I know, but he'll charge you. ***

@pauldobbs that is also all i know, that you have to leave and re enter thailand for every visa change. I did it too, to get the non O visa. but what i don not know is, if the status as a tourist, after the  non O visa is not valid anymore, would avoid getting the work permission, because i just can have it with a non immigrant visa.

@Leeds forever! okay thank you. than i think it is better when i wait in a neighbour country, until i get the permission.

@mrzrm 55555
You really got yourself into a mess, but it's a good mess! You can contact a Thai lawyer I know, but he'll charge you. ***
-@JacktheLawyer

No one needs a lawyer för this. This is just how it works.

@pauldobbs that is also all i know, that you have to leave and re enter thailand for every visa change. I did it too, to get the non O visa. but what i don not know is, if the status as a tourist, after the non O visa is not valid anymore, would avoid getting the work permission, because i just can have it with a non immigrant visa.
-@mrzrm

A minor correction, you don't need to leave and re-enter for every visa change or for the change of reason for an annual extension. You can change from for example retirement to marriage or even change from an O to a B while in-country,BUT, that change has to be done when the current permission of stay-extension expires. In your case it's all about your work permit and the need for a Non-immigrant B Visa. If you re-enter on a visa exempt, and wait for your work permit,you can't apply for the Non-immigrant B.

I thought you could only enter on a non-b visa and then your employer goes with you to immigration to get the work permit. My understanding was that you could only apply for a non-b visa outside of Thailand and normally have a time limit to convert to a work permit - this was my process, I was in Thailand on a tourist visa and had to leave to get the non b.
-@pauldobbs

It's the other way around. If we're talking about the first work permit,you need to get that from the employer,and then you can apply for the Non-immigrant B Visa. That must happen abroad. You can't apply for a Non-immigrant B without having a work permit.

@mrzrm I work for a US company in Bangkok

and went through the whole process - I entered on a tourist visa to visit and got caught up in Covid - I had to go back to the UK and apply for a non-b visa which was a lot of work, without Covid could have gone Vietnam or Cambodia - I then had a limited period to enter Thailand. My employer booked an appointment at immigration’ and went with me to process the visa - mine is three years but this is unusual - you have to have the non-b sponsored by your employer and the work permit is then processed when in Thailand - no other way

@Leeds forever! Think you’re actually correct -

basically saying the same thing - employer has to upload load of docs do the application - I had also had to upload lots of docs and apply for non b - immigration gives work permit in Thailand

@mrzrm I work for a US company in Bangkok
and went through the whole process - I entered on a tourist visa to visit and got caught up in Covid - I had to go back to the UK and apply for a non-b visa which was a lot of work, without Covid could have gone Vietnam or Cambodia - I then had a limited period to enter Thailand. My employer booked an appointment at immigration’ and went with me to process the visa - mine is three years but this is unusual - you have to have the non-b sponsored by your employer and the work permit is then processed when in Thailand - no other way
-@pauldobbs

"you have to have the non-b sponsored by your employer and the work permit is then processed when in Thailand - no other way"

Not correct. You get the work permit from the employer first and then you can apply for the Non-immigrant B. That's the normal procedure.

@Leeds forever! Think you’re actually correct -
basically saying the same thing - employer has to upload load of docs do the application - I had also had to upload lots of docs and apply for non b - immigration gives work permit in Thailand
-@pauldobbs

Immigration has nothing to do with work permits. They issues permissions of stay depending on the reason for the stay,nothing else.

Work permit applications are processed by the Ministry of Labour.