When you go for a Visa Run you have to get a Visa for the country you are entering.... Visa on Arrival are common such as for Laos or Malaysia.

Border Runs are Not Visa Runs

Visa Runs often go like this... Go to the Thai Consular Services office in the other country. At about 8:30 am get in a queue... Then after 9:00 am apply with the application form for the Visa you want to buy... The Applications window will close at 11:00 am

The next day after 2:00 pm you go back to the same office to collect your passport with the new Visa sticker or stamp in it

Border runs take 15 minutes to 30 minutes - not staying in the other country. There have been a few exceptions to this but it is not wide spread.

You are combining definitions

A Visa Run will require at least one overnight stay

A border run or border bounce means you just go through border checkpoints on both sides of the border to Exit and near immediately return to Thailand after getting Exit and Reentry Stamps

Visa run means you go inside a neighbor country to a Thai Embassy / Consulate and apply for a visa

I have a friend who loves to go to Vientiane - French culture and all... But few want to spend money in Laos, Malaysia, Vietnam or anywhere else

I've read this overnight policy is related to Thailand'a response to host countries, where the Thai Embassy/Consular services were located, feeling a bit left out of the money stream... No overnight stays means no money spent on lodgings, less on in country, transportation, less spent on food, souvineers, general goods, etc.