A fair guess would be that border entry will remain valid, as you hold an issued visa for the duration, but the +180 day extensions are a likely point of incountry control.
Yes I wanted some clarity.. I fully expected them to not know or guess, and prefaced it with 'I expect this is a little bit new but...' and she scanned the visa immediately knew what a DTV was and seemed very sure.. Also knew about LTR.. So was on the ball.
Yes it is mandatory.. You get a 2 year provisional first (up to the next birthday) then you can get a 5 year if your visa status is eligible on renewal.
They are not denied driving licenses, but as the Elite is technically a special kind of tourist visa, it is not eligible for a 'full' 5 year license, and in turn things like an IDP or the license being legal to use in the rest of asean. The 2 year licenses are a form of provisional license.
Some Elite holders have got them, but it seems a rarity and not the rules.