yeah, i am pretty much all set on leaving here in Jan or Feb of next year. Not sure exactly where yet, I should probably get cracking on figuring that out.
Multiple times since i have lived here the country has offered free visas for extended periods of time.... we called them "ooopsie!" visas because they were basically offering them as an apology for prolonged periods of being dicks. Then they almost immediately revert to being dicks. I don't understand what is going on there with the mentality of being as abusive of their power as possible.
Immigration can have rules, that is fine, but there is no reason to be such jerks about it. I know multiple long-term residents who still qualify for visas over here but got fed up with being treated like a child and / or criminal every time they go to get / renew a visa.
Keep it professional and have easy to understand, concrete rules and then enforce them, equally. It really isn't that difficult but there seems to be this animosity in most immigration workers as well - almost like they despise foreigners... good thing you don't have to interact with them all day long as part of your chosen profession!
I meet people that fall into the category of your Koh Phangan friend on a regular basis. People with substantial amounts of money and as you might expect, these powerful people don't take very kindly to being treated like children by government officials. Many of them have already moved over to the Elite VIsa, which as you may have heard is basically a "pay to play" system.
I think that this was the government's intention all along: To frustrate the rich folks into paying a fee to be left alone.