My current METV I was in Portugal, applying online to submit to the embassy in Los Angeles. I bought an onward ticket from US to BKK, and an outward ticket from BKK back to the US.
I haven't been to the US in 4 years. Typing this from BKK.
Depending on your passport you can apply via e-visa online. You just buy a onwardticket.com ticket back to your home country after 60 days. They don't care - it's literally paper pushing. Once you're in country you can leave to wherever.
8 years on and off every 3-4 months out of Thailand solely on Tourist Visas (and visa exemptions).
Bangkok/Thailand is an excellent hub to be based out of, and low cost flights all around Asia. The visa "runs" i just use it as an excuse to go travel around all over SEA, and beyond.
Get a METV, come here, and see how you feel - overthinking it a bit with the year plan (then again some people are over planners). Example, to Vietnam, it's $50 usd one way. Very easy to pop out and back in. Go travel and see where you like best.
hmm I could've swore I uploaded pdf just fine, because of this issue with multiple docs having to be attached in one file. It was even my gf's rental agreement and her id as well.
While I understand some people might want a 'full service' advice, I would recommend you come to this group and ask pointed questions - answers even by 'experts' can be contradictory and not always correct.