Do you need to leave Thailand to activate an ED Visa if you arrive on a visa exemption?

Okay, it would appear it is the last scenario I mentioned in my comment,

The person went to a nearby country, applied thru the thai consulate there and then came back to Thailand BEFORE the visa was approved

That means in order to activate the Non-ED visa once it is approved, they'd have to exit/re-enter the country showing the PDF print out when they stamp back in to get stamped in on the Non-ED visa for 90 days

This post doesn't make much sense

There are just 2 ways to get an ED visa

You apply in country at the thai immigration office with documentation from your school and the MOE, pay the 2000baht, wait the under review period, then go back and get the Non-ED visa and new 90 day stamp inked in

OR

You take paperwork from your school and the MOE to a nearby country and apply online thru a thai consulate there, you pay and then you wait in that country until the ED visa is approved, print out the PDF, present it and your passport to the officer when you stamp in and you'll get stamped in for 90 days

Your question almost leads me to believe you applied for an ED visa thru a thai consulate in another country BUT came back to thailand on a visa exempt entry stamp before the visa was approved 😕

SO what are you actually asking?

You just get it and that’s it. You don’t have to border bounce

where did you get this Ed visa?