ALERT! CONSULATES PLAYING NASTY GAMES!

Any Experience dealing with any Consulate in the region? we have been told by a couple of them that if I am not a national here I need to have Residence in the area they serve (Cambodia, Thailand...), however they dont tell exactly what that means or how to get it, all they keep saying is to send them photos of our passport, visa and/or any other document to proof residence; to what they say: "it is not what it is needed" and stop replying...