I fortunately got my ED visa extended on 20 March with no hassle, other than the annoying westerner after me who thought it would help to get testy and insult the staff he blamed for the long lines forcing him to have a five day overstay.

Clarification: this was a scheduled renewal, not adding extra time to an expired visa.

James has good starting suggestions.

My school supplied the ED visa packet for me. It is *huge*. There are detailed pages indicating the number of hours and days, teachers, coporate officers, crazy detailed info about the school, and more. [As an aside, it seems like 90% of it could be sent once by the school to immigration, then a single code could reference all of that, but hey, redundant paperwork is what all the cool kids are into]

I'm surprised you saw mostly 8 hour a week schools. Mine is 15, and most I saw in Bangkok when I was searching were 9-15. Some go by month, so 60 hours per month for mine but I did see some 45. Other cities may differ, and some are known for minimal effort. You are also not required to attend full time (you can take a month off), though your school can have their own requirements so always check.

When I got my visa, the consulate had no questions about my school, but mostly seemed to want to verify that I was actually going to be learning and that I had enough money to live without a work permit (or begging, stealing, etc.). Too many bar flys trying to pretend to be students. No guarantee they won't question you about it, but this is a good reason to have a proper school.

Thanks for the report!

@Victoria *********

I have some from Europe and three of the silly huge ones from short trips to Laos. For Thailand: two 60-day tourist visas, three 30-day ones. Only 4 months total in Thailand. First ED visa.

@Robert ******

Thanks! Very good to know.

@Benjamin *****

I don't think so. Apparently it was unclear. I've never had a visa for Thailand other than a 30 or 60 day tourist visa. Never been to a consulate other than the one in the USA that was ridiculously easy since it was just a standard tourist visa.

@Robert ******

um, I have visited Vientiane. Never been to a consulate outside of the USA.

Wow, my school just recommended Vientiane or Ho Chi Minh city. I have been to Vientiane (edit: as a TOURIST) a couple times already but never seen Vietnam, so was hoping to go there. Ideally we would go to Da Nang but it is unclear if that is even an option.

I have never done this before, so am confused by this process of going, waiting, and then being surprised with more documentation required, that obviously one doesn't have with them on a trip.