I suppose it’s important to save the seven dollars US, and if that’s what really matters, that’s cool. My understanding is that the reason for the price disparity is that Thai nationals help subsidize these institutions through the government, who intern funds them through revenue, including taxes. So taking advantage of this loophole does save the individual money, but does nothing to compensate the institution. But I guess looking out for number one is still important to many.
I just got my wife, her spouse DTV. We both have the proper amount of money in our bank account. The application asked for her employment status and I put unemployed. It was not an issue. We applied at the Royal Thai Embassy in Washington DC.