Originally Posted by
MSPeconomist
I'm confused. OP should not have been forced to buy a ticket on Thai airlines or have anything in the system of Thai airlines, just to have documents showing that he/she will leave Laos within the time permitted by a visa on arrival. This means a ticket on any carrier to any destination where the customer will be admitted is sufficient:
I think he went for the low hanging fruit. Bought the cheapest ticket at check in stand. It's not surprising that airline would sell him their own ticket and being the cheapest; of course its non-refundable.