I got mine through the LA consulate a few months ago. Yes, it took a couple weeks via the mail but I didn’t think that was too long. I’m pretty sure you’d get it faster if you go in person but I wasn’t going to do that from Washington state.
Give that man a gold star! I believe it is currently the best way to deal with the new financial requirements for extending your stay on the O-A while in country.
Coming from a country overrun with illegal immigration I have to say I don’t feel bad for the guy. He said many times he lived in Thailand, beyond the Ed visa and such. So it was only a matter of time. As the OP claims to be financially secure why not just buy the Elite Visa and be done with it?
Depending on your interpretation you’re using one passport, your current and valid passport. You’re carrying around your old passport, not valid for travel, because it has your current visa in it. So you need both to enter Thailand using that visa but no one in another country cares about your old expired passport.