Tod Daniels buying a visa at the consulate takes up a full page in your passport.

The e-visa is done on-line for the approval letter and then line up to pay and to get your stamp when you enter Vietnam.

Then another exit and entry stamp when you return to Thailand.

This whole on-line, exit entry, exit, entry thing takes about page.

I don't know about Phuket specifically but in every other international airport in Thailand (BKK.DMK, CNX, HDY) you can get a re-entry permit at the airport. B1200 and they take a digital photo so you don't need to bring one with you.

You MAY need to show an exit ticket to the airline when you board your flight to Thailand. If you tell then you will be traveling by ground they may let you sign a waiver to protect them from liability for letting you travel without an exit/return ticket.

Alternatively, buy a cheap, disposable ticket (Air Asia to Penang works if you are going into Chiang Mai and is cheap).

Yes, if you are on an Australian passport:

a) Fly in - get a 30 day no visa tourist entry.

b) Go to immigration sometime before than expires (usually 1-2 weeks) and get an extension - 30 days more for B1900.

c) Border hop before your exit date and get another 30.

d) Extend that if needed for another 30.

All with no hassle or worry.

90-day reports? If you leave less than 90 days after entry, never.

TM30 report. within 24 hours of arrival if you are not staying at a hotel or rooming house where the landlord has to report you.

Tourists don't need sponsors and it is only a 60-day, single entry visa not a 90-day visa.

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As an Australian, fly in on a no-visa entry, do an extension and a border hop.

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Done like dinner.

Non-B, 2000 baht. Work permit, 3100 baht.

Non-B extension based on a WP, 1900 (90-days to 1 year. )

The process will vary a bit depending on the job - I am assuming you are being hired as an employee and not a "business partner".

Typically, if you enter as a tourist you can process the non-B paperwork here and IF you have 15 days remaining on your period of stay, do a change of status from tourist to non-B.

IF you are short of time you can hop to a Thai consulate in a nearby country and process your non-B there.

IF someone is charging you 12,800 it would be a red-flag to me that you are being scammed.

That depends on the reason for the non-B.

If teaching then a single entry 90-day is what you get. Then you get your WP, then the extension based on the WP, then a multi-entry permit.

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If business related (without a WP) then I don't know any in the region (not saying there are none but I don't know where to send you).

Air Asia has flights from CNX to KUL (non-stop).

Scoot and Silk Air have non-stops from CNX to SIN.

The process is the same. Fly down, transit desk and fly back. Never enter the 2nd country so no wasted space in the passport.

Yup... I was in grad school and took 8 weeks between semesters... not a problem as long as the visa is valid when you return and you have a re-entry permit.