I got a BKK Bank savings account with a residency certificate on a 30 day visa exemption. I did have a friendly thai friend who smoothed the edges though. I think the Thai friend is key.
Malaysia is pretty good towards us - 3 month visa exemption on arrival but I am not sure about the 6 month thing. Sorry. Worth checking that out though.
Jeremy Miller the headline of the document the gov website links to is (their caps): "LIST OF COUNTRY THAT ALLOWED E-EVISA ISSUING" does not seem to include South Africa. So, its rather the other way around.