he used Thai embassy in Sydney while in Thailand to get the non O visa so he was told he needed to exit to activate it. Yea you need a visa to Lao but normally they give at the border for a fee
Actually the Philippines is nice if you choose the right place. Manila certainly can be rough around the edges but there are lots of nice safe cities to choose from besides Manila. Thailand is certainly ahead development wise but it's certainly way over crowded with tourists. My simple answer is Thailand is overrated and places like the Philippines are underrated. Cebu, Boho, Bardigio, Dumagehetty, etc are all great places
Filing a complaint with the labor ministry is different than suing. The issue is you may needed guidance from a lawyer to do it. I hope you get suitable advice rather than people telling you to take it without lube