I've been to several boys' homes. It's usually a tiny hole of a room... often it's a small townhouse shared with a sister, her husband, and their baby. ....or 4 boys share one tiny room. I've bought and installed air conditioning units, TVs, and paid for new furniture, bedding etc. for a few boys, a few times.
One of these boys was my bf for almost a year. He was the most popular boy at A-Bomb when I met him. He would get off'd sometimes 2 or even 3 times in a day.... but not every day. He went 45 days without a day that he *didn't* get off'd. One month in high season ---- ONE MONTH --- he made 60,000 baht in a month. He never made that much again after that. Then low season came. It's hard to make anything in low season.
So many points: (1) They always remember "that one month" when they made 60,000 and that's all they talk about.... "60,000"......even when yet in reality they're lucky to make 20,000 now.... and that's only if they're still the most popular boy in town! (2) There's no way even the most popular boys at Saranrom are making half that much. (3) Regardless of how they spend their money ---- on a nice room, or supporting their entire extended family back home, or on iPhones and whiskey bars... They make much more than the average Thai ( if they're any good at all ), and that does put them into the middle class economically, for sure. ( We're talking about income level, not "being accepted" by anyone. ) They can afford all the trappings of the "in" status symbols, absolutely. (4) The phenomenon of being supported by one or more overseas farang does happen.... but it's far more rare than the "big fish stories" would lead you to believe.... and it doesn't usually last for more than a few months at most. (5) Remember that their actual *work* is strenuous physical work... but the actual work part usually lasts only minutes.... almost always finished in under an hour. That's their *real* workday... maybe an average of 38 minutes. That's not construction work, or restaurant work, or factory work. It's easy money. On top of that, they make quite a bit more in those 38 minutes than the construction worker does in his 10 or 12 hour work day. By comparison to all the other jobs in Thailand, it's easy money. That's for sure. And they know it. ( This is also equally true everywhere else in the world.... compared to other available jobs in the local economy. ) (6) If they happen to be gay, and can bring themselves to "get into it".... and get turned on themselves.... then it's all that much easier.... They get hard. They have sex. They cum. Their work day is done. Now they're a hero supporting their entire family and farm back home *and* they have a new iPhone 6plus, an iPad, an Apple Watch, a MacBook Air, and new Versace jeans for nights out at DJ Station. I want that job! What work could be easier!? They also probably own more high tech gear than most of their customers do!