What are the best alternatives to Vientiane for obtaining a Thai tourist visa, and what is the current turnaround time for these applications?

Both thai consulates in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh are good consulates to use IF you meet the requirements and remember that they only take US dollars for visa fees there ;)

Okay, to go from your current extension based on employment to a tourist visa from a thai consulate :O

You need to go to the immigration office with a letter from your employer and proof you canceled your work permit and CANCEL your current extension of stay officially.

Then you can go out of the country and buy a NEW tourist visa from a thai consulate.

There are 5 or more thai consulates in S/E Asia that you can choose from although NONE of them are as "user friendly" as the one in Vientiane is <- which is why it's the busiest one in S/E Asia. :O

All the other thai consulates in the area are going to require some or all of the 3-proof-ofz; proof of 20K baht in a bank account, proof of onward travel in 60 - 90 days, and proof of a hotel booking.

I'd say DON'T go to Vientiane on a Monday or a Thursday <- Those are the days the visa run companies from Bangkok lug people there.

The turn around time in Vientiane is the same as it's always been, turn in your application and passport one morning before 11:30 and pick up your passport with the visa in it the next afternoon after 1:30.