I think this is all bullshit. A tourist is a tourist. Here for a week or here for a year.

If you rent property in another country, own a business elsewhere but check email to put out fires, are a trust fund baby, whatever the case may be...if you're bouncing around the world and think you want to check out Thailand for a while, or been everywhere but like here best, or are in a relationship with a local and not ready for or don't want marriage.... you CAN BE a tourist.

Month after month putting 40, 60, or 100K baht into the local economy. These people matter.

This is a problem unique to Thailand. It creates uncertainty and offers challenges that most people don't face elsewhere. And in spite of all of this, those who love this place for:

The warm hospitality of the people, the food, the weather, the nature, the low cost of living, etc

They will persist.

Short-sighted, self-serving, talking heads in government continue to make proclamations of utmost absurdity, backpedal, and then the news fades without much really happening. They think they know what's best for everyone.

End of rant.

That is correct.

So get there early or come late and not deal with lines. Before there was an appointment system, I would arrive between 11-11:30. Only a few people in the whole place. No lines.

Next day, I'd have a high number for pickup, say 124, so I also knew that I didn't need to show up before 2 to collect my passport.

I'd rather not do anything in a rush than wait in a line to be the first.

And if I get there at 10am? Am I in line with everyone else, or do I jump to the front because they're serving higher numbers than me?

Stickers are worth 1 or 3฿. They work as store credit. They don’t need to be stuck to anything. Just hand them over to cashier and they’ll deduct the amount from the total.

Latest batch is valid until 23 October.

Also if you don’t want to mess with them, the person behind you in line will be happy to take them.

I'm at a Language School, so I would agree they come under more scrutiny. I am prepared to answer question as well as demonstrate I have learned Thai.

I had a friend get interviewed recently. I don't recall them testing his Thai, but probing at how he provides for himself (income) and why he wants to be in Thailand, why he wants to study Thai, etc.

Fly out/in and get another visa exemption.

In theory, no limit. (Land is limited to twice per calendar year.) You may be questioned.

I read the above comments and I understood it that there was a volunteer visa, then some tourist visas and possibly exempt entries, and now currently on a tourist visa.

So this would be first student visa (but not first Non-Imm type visa for OP). And either way, it's been over a year since the issuance of a Non-Imm visa.

In summary, I think it is safe to go to Vientiane based on OP's history. I don't always think the schools know best. They are getting their intel (at least it appears to me) from their students. And they'd have to be mindful of everyone's visa history, recent history in Thailand, etc in order to accurately give visa approval advice. As well as deal in a volume of incoming students. A report from months ago is not the same as one from this past week or two.

I was told by a trusted source that you can go to Vientiane for your second student visa IF it's been more than 365 days since your last ED visa was issued.

There are only 360 days in a "visa year" (90 + 90 + 90 + 90). If you were to apply for your second visa in Vientiane immediately coming off your previous one you would be rejected (360 < 365).

Please let us know where you go and how it works out. Safe travels.

Thanks for update!