What are the steps and requirements for obtaining a second ED visa in Thailand through the Phnom Penh embassy?

Fair warning: This is gonna be a fairly long post regarding my recent trip to Phnom Penh Cambodia to get a second ED visa.

I go to Duke Language school and they prepared all my documents which I took with me to Phnom Penh. I also needed a recent police check which took about 3 weeks to arrive (100 baht from the Royal Thai Police station near Chit Lom). The police station required a letter from my school stating the purpose for wanting a police check so make sure you get that beforehand. Everyone at the police station was really helpful and you can either pick up the final documents there or have them sent to you. I had mine sent to my school and picked up both the clearance and my school documents at the same time. I also prepared my own letter addressed to the Thai Embassy which stated how I support myself in Thailand without working and noted/attached the supporting documents which show that income each month.

When I arrived at the Phnom Penh Thai embassy I had to go to the information desk to get the initial application. I got there on a Wednesday morning. They will glue/paperclip your passport photo to it when you bring it back. Then they will give you a queue number to submit your application. When I submitted everything, the clerk checked over my documents and asked me if I speak Thai (she spoke Thai language to me). She then told me that there was no guarantee for a visa and that they would not refund the money (also in Thai, however I didn't understand her and she told me again in English). I told her that was fine. They gave me an appointment slip to pickup my visa on Friday afternoon.

I received a random call while I was in Phnom Penh but am unsure who from (maybe the embassy will call you, or perhaps it was a random call). I came back for my appointment time on Friday afternoon and they had all my paperwork ready. I was told to wait for a few minutes and then someone would interview me. The guy who interviewed me had an American accent and was really friendly. He simply asked me in Thai what my name was, asked what my birthdate was, and asked what I did for work in Thailand. I stumbled on my birthdate (I've never actually had to say it all together like that), but he was patient and let me fumble through it. Afterwards he asked me in English a little bit about the documents I had submitted (my letter as well as bank statements) and explained that they were being very careful after having so many people abuse the ED visa system. They are very worried about people coming in on ED visas and then working illegally. After reviewing my documents again with me explaining them in English he said I would receive my visa.

This may or may not be related to most folks but I thought I would touch on it since it is something I have wondered about for a few months. I asked what I should do if I finish my schooling at Duke and don't feel proficient/finished studying. He recommended taking a university course and said it was mainly private language schools they were having issues with when it came to visas. So if you want to stay in Thailand and continue learning after your initial ED visas, this might be the best option. I'm going to start looking into courses at Chula since I may end up doing a Master's Program there as well.

Hope this helps/takes some of the stress away if you are an anxious person like me when it comes to visas. Please let me know if you have any questions and I will try to answer them as best I can.