Immigrant visas to the U.S. are suspended temporarily. Non-immigrant visas for temporary stay/tourism are still being issue upon meeting the requirements.
I have the elite visa and no background check was required. To the best of my knowledge all checks are done internally with Thai Immigration. If you contact the Thailand Privilege staff they can help you with all your questions.
Yes, you can cancel it if no payment was made. Although any application fee may not be reimbursable. Contact their customer service staff. They are helpful.
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