For many that sell in these systems it is very hard to make good money. However, there are actually people that are good sales persons, and can bring in a lot of baht every month. Most of the successful ones combine it with other business. For example a hair saloon, where waiting customers have a table with the catalogues on. Another women I know, is running a normal village shop, where everybody knows she is a seller for Amway, Giffarine, Cute Press and some more.
Amway is far from the best and most profitable system for distributors. Some other systems can actually give about 30-35% in profit of every sale. Cute Press is one that, done the right way, give about 30% in general all over. If we compare that to, for example, a village shop they normally only have 15-20% in profit. However, they live on the sale volume that are usually higher.