I was traveling with a Chinese national a few years back and consulate personnel checked her papers before refusing her visa. They never took her money. In every situation where I’ve applied for a Thai visa, they definitely checked everything in front of me before processing it.
an expat is someone temporarily living in a foreign country, while an immigrant is someone who is in the process of obtaining citizenship. Nothing to do with race.
the elite visa is basically a glorified tourist visa. Based on the length of the process, one could certainly obtain one s long as they get an extension.