I just took my blue book to the Tassaban office with a Thai friend and 30 minutes later had my yellow book and pink card and due to my age they told me it didn’t have to be renewed this was 2017 think it was about 250 baht I also had my UK passport with current bus stamp
It sounds like he was denied entry which is not being deported . I suggest you apply for the DTV and see what happens it will be either approved or rejected
apparantly Kasikorn and SCB are allowing accounts to be opened with a DVT as people have confirmed this in posts I have three separate thai bank accounts all opened on a tourist visa prior to getting an O visa several years later