What are the differences between applying for a visa online and at an embassy in Thailand?

That's absolutely right, I just wanted to mention it, because the interviews aren't scheduled for a week. Instead, you receive the invitation via email in the afternoon, and you have to be at the consulate the next morning or at noon. The appointment times are intentionally so tight to weed out people who are already out of the country. I therefore recommend checking your emails regularly and planning a possible trip to Jakarta. Here's a link to a report from a group member who had an interview in Jakarta:

So if he is in Bali already, it would be easier for him to stay and apply fpr JKT than to fly to Vietnam or Laos right?