sorry I ended up writing so much (not intended but quite therapeutic). Main point I'm glad the polite approach worked for you but people shouldn't expect it to always make a difference. But it can't hurt to be graceful.
totally agree about the Immigration office in town, but quite the opposite about the immigration boss at the airport. What he did to me made only the 2nd half of a smiley and courteous response possible, fighting off tears of despair, pleading with him to reconsider jailing me in a room with no bed or bedding, just a mouldy sofa and an equally mouldy curtain someone had ripped off to use as a blanket, and then deporting me... all while recovering from dengue fever (with a doc's note) after a full day's visa run. The reason? He made a record when I told him "for now I'm just traveling but when I have a longterm plan for staying here I will get a proper visa" on my previous arrival. I had spent only 7 months in the country in the last 5 years, all as a tourist. Every single other member of staff was on my side but the big boss was determined to punish me. Moral being that a polite and courteous attitude improves your chances but if you get the wrong person on the wrong day, they can still throw a nonexistent book at you (I had broken no rule or law, it was purely at his discretion - I later discovered the code he wrote in the red deportation stamp represents working illegally. I've never worked in Thailand, I was just trying to enjoy a sabbatical and recover from a breakup of a 7 year relationship, taking my time, spending my money here, harming nobody. If I had responded rudely I would get it, but I was reduced to a sobbing, groveling mess (I bought a condo here and within a couple of months it seemed I was barred from entry, for no reason, with all my worldly possessions still in there) and he was completely unmoved.
I now have to avoid using my local airport every time I want to come home...
check with your school, that 22 includes sending paperwork from Ao Nang and waiting to receive it back in the mail, so it may be much shorter in Bangkok
Seems to be possible to get an ed visa without even leaving Thailand, just have to apply at least 22 days before tourist stamp expires (so within the first week of arriving on a 30 day stamp), according to the school I registered at yesterday.
that's what happened but the stamp is a deportation stamp. Good to know about the land crossings, but what about air? Treated separately with its own annual limits and also resets Jan 1st?
