Dude, those are just pictures with nice looking ladies. Doesn't mean any more than you took a picture with them. I mean if you do that well in the U.S., why would you think you have to pay for it in Thailand with your skills?
that may be true for Bangkok and surrounding areas. I was there in November with a 90 Non-O Evisa and I was turned down in all but 1 bank (Krungthai) in the Nong Khai and Tha Bo district. They all wanted a certificate of residency and Nong Khai immigation won't do one unless requested and the banks won't request one. They won't even accept a copy of the CoR I got for my drivers license. I was the first Evisa they had seen and they just didn't (wouldn't) believe it was a legit long stay visa.
Nong Khai immigration will not give you a certificate of residency to open a bank account. They will give you one for a driver's license after the Dept. of Transportation requests it. The banks in Nong Khai won't request it so immigration won't grant it. Went through this in November. The banks also will not accept a copy of the CoR that I provided to get my driver's license. I had a 90 day Non-O Evisa, TM 30 and a driver's license and was still told no until a kind lady helped me out in Si Chiang Mai at KrungThai bank. That was after I went to every bank I could find in Tha Bo, Nong Khai and Si Chiang Mai.
Do you have to go back to Australia every 2 years to renew the OA? I think with an OA a person could probably open an account easier, hopefully, and move forward with a non-o 2 years later.