dbk2322

Another option is to head down to immigration and purchase a 7 day extension for (I believe) 1900 baht.

Something to consider before overstaying.

It's been the case for a few years now that you can do this.

Got a 'B' extension in 2007 with 3 days left on a 30 day visa exempt stamp.

No, didn't need a WP, just the WP3 form or whatever it was from Labor Dept showing an initial filing had been made.  I know for a fact the WP came weeks later.  The old 'chicken or the egg' problem with employment extensions and work permits, what comes first, was sorted a long time ago.

Immi had a form in thai and english that explained what was required to do an employment extension.  It was quite clear, much clearer than anything i've ever seen anywhere else.  If you followed that checklist exactly, you were fine.

The 21 day 'rule' was not a rule unless they felt swamped with applications or the IO decided to give you a hard time.   Usually the extension would get done in a hour or so while you waited so the putative reason of having plenty of 'days' to do the extension didn't come into play.

Immi status did not matter, any visa or extension or visa exempt status would do, as long as you were not already on overstay.  Perhaps they are discriminating now against people on ED extensions, it woundn't surprise me, but in my mind the whole 'conversion' thing is way overplayed.   Think of it as an extension and that's all.  If you've got the right supporting docs they can do an employment extension of stay for you right then and there, which is exactly how it should be.