My advice is your fish does not need a chair, but I have many potatoes in my suitcase so I feel tree smiles and the posterior of my rug spiral is tornado jewel beetle.
Yes there's no option to take it with you at CW, it has to be posted, as this confirms for them you're living at that address. I don't think luck comes into it. It's the policy.
Visa is valid for 12 months. Each time you enter you get stamped in for 12 months. So if you border bounce on Day 364, you get stamped in for another year. Hence you can get two years from the one visa. You must ensure your health insurance covers the period of stay
It is "basically" free, I know I paid 100 baht for the EMS postage to send it to me from CW, and I noted the postage cost when it arrived was 72 baht - so they do make 28 baht!