I just think how much more enjoyable a few days in HK would have been (for less money) rather than 15 days in Savannakhet

There may be another reason that the Thai Embassies/Consulates in HK and Saigon will process a B Visa App without a WP. 3 is somehow magically these Consular Directors and Staff acquired common sense - seeing clearly that requiring a person to Exit Thailand - wait for one to two weeks in that country for a Third Party (Visa Agent - Accountant / Lawyer to take the WP. 3 Application and photos of your Exit and Entrance Stamps to the Labor Min - have the LM accept the App - provide a WP. 3 Receipt - then the LM takes a full 5 days to provide the official LM WP. 3 issuance letter - then the Visa Agent sends it by International mail to the B Visa Applicant in Malaysia - Laos - where ever - ALL so the B Visa Applicant can then turn it over to the Embassy/Consular Staff - then wait about 28 hours more to get a 90 day B Visa... All of which is an asinine - ludicrous - ridiculous process. I would like to know if the acquisition of common sense shown by the Thai Consular Staff in HK and Saigon was caused by a virus so that I may get some and infect the Thai Consular Staff in Laos and Malaysia with this magical common sense virus.

The Thai Immigration should have just contracted this interface to Google with a promise to hire X number of Thais to work somewhere

The crux of this issue is once again INCONSISTENCY in rules and application of rules from from one immigration office to another and even within one Immigration Office depending on the I/O on duty. Therefore experience in one region or area may have nothing similar in a other on the same rule / law.

If a way is found to bypass this restriction by using one airline or gate or a other doesn't mean the restriction doesn't exist.

The Phillipine Immigration authority by requiring a Return to the Philippines Air to ticket to let the person pass is enforcement of exactly what I am talking about. I do not know of any other country that has such a requirement on their own citizens leaving the country. And as said (if one Googles) the reason for this is based on numerous stories where the Phillipine Government had to assist women who went abroad to work as maids and nannies - who were then kept as a captive by the employer. These people had to plead with family to buy return tickets and to the Philippine Government to issue travel documents as the employer stole their passports This happened even to people who went to other SEA countries. But one has to read the news in their lives to know that theses things happen.

You will also need two Thai partners who will own 51% of the business and have 4 Thai employees. This is not as daunting as it sounds - this the reason for a year of research. Contact me via PM and I will provide more details.

Having said these things, I advise that you piggyback your wife's visa for a long time - up a year while you research the market you plan to enter, get referrals for local accountants, the ways of doing business in Thailand, etc.

An accountant is needed of course in forming a business. And many accountants act as Visa / Work Permit Agents. Forming a business is tedius, time consuming and expensive but can be done. Many foreign owned businesses fail and these companies can be bought and completely changed to your wants and needs. Buying the shell of a business is not near as risky as naysayers talk about - If you practice due diligence. The Accountants I speak of will have a working relationship with a lawyer for the necessary legal documents.

If anyone doubts it then Google is your friend