@Frank-Steven **********
The day after the initial submission I got an email for additional information (a better quality picture, and the Employment requirements which I detailed in the post). I submitted them Thursday and got the email of approval today (yes - on a Thai national holiday); strangely the email was sent at 17.20 so maybe the holiday was technically over..? Nevertheless was a quick turnaround (about week). I should have mentioned this was the Royal Thai Embassy in London.