Pon Prom Onlaweng or Chaotic Blessings, has brought us a wonderful story about a woman who learns about life through the body of a little girl, and with the help of fate and Dr. Pathawee, she is able to find her way. It’s been a pleasurable and heartfelt ride as a whole, but the conclusion of this lakorn, the method by which things came together, was a bit too contrived and not as genuine as the rest of the story. Yet, the final minutes of this drama makes me look at the drama as a whole, and consider it as a satisfied enough way to end things.
Episode 15 END
Nawin treks through the upcountry to visit his friend Dr. Pathawee. It is beyond him how Dr. Wee can survive in such a rustic lifestyle for a month now. He opens the uncomfortable topic of Tanyong and tells his best friend that she’s getting married in a week’s time.
Dr. Wee pauses at his drink, “You came this far to tell me that?”
“Don’t be tight-lipped, she’s about to get married!” exclaims Nawin.
Dr. Wee doesn’t respond to that so Nawin resigns and heads to bed. Not able to handle the country life, Nawin decides to go back to Bangkok- but not until he takes something important home with him.
He rushes to his office immediately and summons Kru Bie to see him. In all seriousness, he tells her that he needs her help with something.
Tanyong is packing up for her trip abroad, seemingly resigned to the idea that she will marry Piram. Kru Bie storms her room and gives her a small packet from Nawin. Tanyong finds it strange that it cannot wait until the wedding, but she takes it and leaves it on her night stand.
Far far away, Dr. Wee and Dr. Neung are walking together. Dr. Wee tells his colleague that he loves it there, it opens his eyes to a part of world that he wouldn’t have experienced otherwise. Dr. Neung ponders his comment and asks him if he knew why she became a doctor.
“It’s because of you,” she answers. “It’s true. You made me realize what it’s like to be a doctor, body mind and soul.”
“Even without me, you’re still a doctor in your heart and mind.” He doesn’t seem to get the point. She makes it more clear for him.
“All of the encouragements came from you, Wee. I love you,” she admits.
Slowly, as if he’s afraid to hurt her, he takes her hand.
“Thank you for all of the good feelings you have for me,” he pauses and takes his time, “but I—“
Her biggest fear presents itself. He doesn’t feel the same way.
“I know that you’ve never loved me, but I had hoped that one day I can change your mind,” she says.
She seems to know that there will be no chance with him now. He pulls her in for a hug, comforting her.
Unrequited love is a painful thing.
This scene shows us the many reasons to love Dr. Pathawee. Although he’s a bit obtuse at times, too logical and stubborn, he never leads her on and is always honest with her. Even though he’s hurt from Tanyong’s pending nuptials, he’s not going to bind himself with another woman to ease the pain.
That night he thinks about Dr. Neung’s confession, about Tanyong then he starts to reach for his journal. Yet it is no where to be found.. I wonder where it’s at?
Well of course, that sneaky Nawin.
Tanyong arrives home later and finally opens the package from Nawin.
She’s confused why he would give her a journal for her wedding present, but she opens it anyway. There are artistic pictures (hand drawn) of flowers.
When she turns the second page however, a picture of Nong May greets her. She realizes that it is Dr. Wee’s journal. She continues reading, there are entries about his experience at the upcountry. And finally, she sees a page that seems to be rhetorically addressed to her.
“I don’t understand why I feel so much towards you. It could be love or a bond, I don’t know. I could barely work today because I know you are getting married. I can’t explain how it feels: it hurts, it torments me. I just want it to pass. But time goes by so slowly. I’m losing you, and I am like a person who’s trying to get things back to the way it used to be. It is like that day I lost Nong May, but you came back to me. But unfortunately I’m still losing you. I want to forget, I want to forget everything: I want to forget you. But I just can’t do it. I wish that you would have a wonderful new life, have a great family. I will be here to encourage you.”
Tanyong sobs at the realization of his love. The song that plays in the background has similar lyrics to Bruno Mars “If I was your man..” singing about the hope that the new person will take better care of him, the way that she should.
She hugs the journal to her chest.
She fell asleep on the couch, overcome with exhaustion. Piram sees her sleeping form and slowly covers her with his jacket. He notices the journal and takes a peak- and perhaps he shouldn’t, because the contents only made things crystal clear for him.
When Tanyong wakes some time later, she learns that Piram had been there. She notices a sliver of paper poking from the journal and reads it with sadness, “Yong, in the past I’ve been very happy with you, you are always my number one. When I know the truth, that you no longer have me in your heart, I understand, and I’m not angry with you. I want you to be happy. Don’t hesitate now that the person you love is not me. Don’t worry about me, I’m choosing to love you forever.”
Well that Piram. He’s completely redeeming himself. But if anything, he has always had her best interest at heart.
Tanyong immediately calls Bie, but her friend doesn’t answer. She rushes to the school and sees Nawin, she asks him if he had Dr. Wee’s current address. Nawin pretends to hesitantly give her the direction sheet, but deep down he had planned this all.
Nerves overcome her as she prepares her way to see Dr. Wee. It is a long drive to the upcountry but she finally arrives.
She sees him from across the tent and offers him a smile. He looks at her briefly and goes back to what he is doing.
Her smile fades and she tries to walk away.
“Hold on,” he says. She turns back around hopefully. “Come help me first.”
She assists him with the patient’s ministrations. When she looks for the medical instruments for him, he sneaks a peak at her, only to look away when she gazes back.
What, are we playing hard to get? He pretends not to care and tells her to watch his patient queue.
As Tanyong assists Dr. Wee, she spots Dr. Neung there as well. They have an uncomfortable glance at each other. A patient’s dad confirms her suspicions that Dr. Neung is a better match for Dr. Wee.
Saddened, she walks away.
Dr. Wee looks at Dr. Neung and tells her that she’s his good helper.
“And that’s all I’m good for right?” Neung asks, lol.
But Dr. Wee doesn’t go after Tanyong, he merely gets back to work.
This goes on for much longer, and Tanyong feels the need to approach Dr. Neung.
“I wanted to apologize to you that I came here.”
“Why are you apologizing?” Dr. Neung asks, keeping her eyes on her medical book. “You didn’t do anything wrong.”
“I used to promise you, but I couldn’t keep it. I still came here,” says Tanyong, regretfully.
“Just forget about it. When it comes to love, it’s between two people. If more are involved, it becomes a mess.”
“So you’re not mad at me?” Tanyong questions.
“No. If I am mad, I should be mad at myself,” replies Dr. Neung. “So forget it. Don’t dwell on it.”
Dr. Neung is totally redeeming herself.
Tanyong continues to help the camp, doing her best even while feeling uncomfortable. Dr. Wee just goes on ignoring her.
That night she tells Dr. Neung that she would be leaving the next day.
“Why are you leaving? For the wedding?”
Tanyong merely says no.
Dr. Wee peers at her porch from his campsite. He looks quite cute in his camping element.
Dr. Neung notices how Dr. Wee is ignoring Tanyong, “is it a good idea that you’re doing this? How will Khun Tanyong feel?” but Dr. Wee doesn’t respond.
As the girls are heading back to their rooms, Tanyong confirms that she’s heading back to BKK.
“How come you’re rushing back? Stay here to help, please,” Dr. Neung says.
“I’m not suitable for this place,” Tanyong admits, “You are suitable for Dr. Wee.”
Oh, let’s not be noble now.
“What makes you think that?” Dr. Neung asks. “Let’s just say that you shouldn’t go back yet..”
Tanyong is confused but she agrees to stay.
That night, Dr. Wee gazes at her from his campsite again. When he finally made eye contact with Tanyong, she immediately runs back into her room. But why?!
Many parts of this finale episode works in reverse, things happen then we find out the backstory afterwards. For instance, Dr. Neung decides to head back to BKK, and on the ride back, she thinks about her conversation with Dr. Wee the night prior. She had admitted to him that she made Tanyong promise to give him back to her. She apologized that she misunderstood, that she thought that there is a chance he would love her. She now knows that the day will never come. She cried and promised him that she will be his greatest friend.
Adios, Dr. Neung.
The next day Tanyong is a little confused why Dr. Neung left. Dr. Wee is still ignoring her and she hasn’t mustered up enough courage to talk to him about the journal.
Nawin and Bie decide to visit the area as well, mostly so Nawin can see his handy work.
The end of work day draws near and Dr. Wee leaves Tanyong to her device. She rushes after him, pouting the entire time. Her pride wounded because he’s acting like he didn’t give two cents about her, even after she came all the way there to see him.
“Uncle Wee!” she calls after him. She repeats and he finally stops walking.
“Stop calling me that for once. I am not your Uncle Wee.” Ouch. “What is it? Or have you come to say goodbye?”
“That’s not it. I came here because I had something to talk to you about.”
“About what? Do we still have things to talk about.” Another ouch.
“Can you give me a chance to speak? If you don’t forgive me, then I will leave,” she pleads.
“For what? You are about to be married,” he reminds her.
She shakes her head to deny it.
“Why? Why aren’t you getting married and what are you doing here?” he questions.
Aw man so mean.
She takes his journal out of her bag, “I came here because of this..”
“That is mine, how did you get it?” He figures it was Nawin.
“I came here,” she starts nervously, “because I feel the same way about you. If you don’t feel the same way you’ve written about, then I will leave.”
She turns to leave.
“Hold on, don’t go yet,” he says. “You haven’t told me yet why you didn’t get married.”
She finally proclaims, “because I only want to marry the person that I love. I don’t love Piram. But I love Uncle Wee. Did you know that? I love Uncle Wee.” Yes finally!
He slowly cracks a smile, “I already knew that.”
“What? How?”
“Piram told me.”
“Piram?! How did he tell you?” Tanyong questions.
But Dr. Wee just keeps on walking.
Well that was a little anticlimactic.
“So does that mean you already know everything?” Tanyong questions again.
“Yes I knew.”
“Then why did you force me to say it?”
“I wanted to hear it from your lips that you love me,” Dr. Wee answers.
“So you teased me.. what about Dr. Neung?”
“And what does she have to do with this?”
“She loves you very much,” Tanyong says.
“And you?” Dr. Wee reciprocates the question.
“Yes.”
“Yes, what?”
“It means that I miss Dr. Pathawee,” Tanyong answers.
“Is that so? And do you love him very much?” Dr. Wee asks.
He comes closer and tries to go in for a kiss but his friend and Bie interrupts them. Bad timing. They tease Dr. Wee about his journal by quoting the words they remember.
Dr. Wee and Tanyong accomplish the voluntary mission and bid farewell to the residents there.
Nawin and Bie made it back to BKK and he sneakily (as always) asks her to marry him. He sneaks a kiss and they have a funny/cute moment.
Beneath the blossom trees, Dr. Wee and Tanyong walk hand in hand.
“I have a secret to tell you,” he starts.
“What is it?” she asks.
“I fell in love with you since the first time I met you,” he confesses.
She smiles from ear to ear. “It must be fate that brought us together.”
“To love each other,” Dr. Pathawee adds. “I am happy that we both have this day.”
“Me too.”
Dr. Wee leans down and kisses her on the forehead.
“Marry me, Yong.”
She smiles. “Yes, I agree..”
The blossom flowers fell and Dr. Wee catches one in his palm. He offers it to her, the way that he has been offering orchids to her sleeping form.
Tenderly he hugs her from behind and kisses her cheek.
The two stand there, beneath the blossom trees, finally uttering everything they had been meaning to say to each other.
—
When a lakorn takes out all of the aces at the beginning and middle of a drama, it’s always a struggle to present an excellent closure. It’s like saying, well, it’s been a hell of a ride, how should we finally put these two together? So the wrap up, the happily ever after so to speak, ends up being trite and anticlimactic. Yet despite it’s bizarre set up, it is a much anticipated ending. Dr. Pathawee is finally able to embrace Tanyong with heartfelt emotion, and leaving me to forgive a few transgressions along the way. Because when you evaluate the big picture, it’s still one hell of a lakorn.
That final 5 minutes is well worth the debacle!
What think you? To the PPO fans, was it everything that you hoped it would be? Chime away!
*screencaps by Fia taken from ThaiTVshows on YouTube
Tagged: Bella Ranee, Boy Pakorn, Pon Prom Onlaweng
thank you sooo much Fia for the recaps… i now finally know what was written in the journal and that conversation between Yong and Wee, I only understand one line there… its, ” I dont love Piram, I love Na Wee”… but wait, when did Piram told Wee about Yong’s feelings? they did not have a flashback on that… 🙂 I like Boy and Bella’s chemistry. They made me swoon a lot. 🙂 The stolen glances, the longing stares, Yong’s clueless and totally lost look…
All in all, the ending is good. We did expect a happy ending for Wee and Yong, but, honestly I was hoping to see Nong May reincarnated as Wee and Yong’s daughter… haha
Lol. I believe Nong May asked for permission to reincarnate as Mae Pat’s baby again, so she’s currently the bun in the oven! I suppose we can just assume that Piram miraculously called Wee about Yong’s feelings. And how does he know that Yong loves Wee anyway, I mean, the journal he read belongs to Wee. Meh, slight inconsistencies. What this lakorn does so well is the pacing, but I’m not a huge fan of flashbacks unless it’s done cunningly well. The part where Wee questions Tanyong about why she didn’t get married was a little anticlimactic- but it does explain why he was ignoring her. Where did this teasing Uncle Wee come from?! Hah. All in all, a great lakorn and an even better final minutes. Thanks for reading, as always. What’s on your radar?
none at the moment hehe… actually i started with RoyLeh Sanae Luang because i like Weir a lot with PPO coming in close second because of Boy, but then after 2 episodes, i dropped RLSL and focused on PPO mainly because of Boy and Unda, the rest of the characters are really endearing and I like the conflict was not focused on the orchestrations of one major villain.
I will try watching this weekend Five Brothers… i believe that is the lakorn replacing PPO…
I haven’t seen a Weir lakorn since Wong Wian Hua Jai with Pinky.. I gave up on DaraVDO, since they scarred me with Ubatheehet!
I’m curious to see how Khunchai Tharatorn will fare though.
i have seen/downloaded that lakorn with Pinky. he was still lanky and awkward back then… hehe… before Weir, i only watch Channel 3 lakorns, now i am more varied… 🙂 and thanks to you, i was able to watch Ubatheheet and understood what is going on because of your recaps. i have read lots of complaints about DaraVDO especially with RoyLeh Sanae Luang, i am downloading it though whenever the eng subs come out but have yet to watch it.
i heard this 5 Gentleman series is from the same maker or something with 4 Hearts of the mountains so I am hopeful i will love it too… 🙂
I’m stubborn lol i don’t like how they come to an end. this could have really been 14 episode with a better conclusion. it wohld have made it to my top 2013 lakorn list.
Hah, it still made it to my list. I did like that it ended in 15 episodes, but wished they developed the relationship between Dr. Wee and Tanyong post-Nong May a little more, and less focus on tying up loose ends with Dr. Neung. Ah well, still made me feel all fuzzy inside.
when i said 14, all the scenes of dr. neung baffled me. she wasn’t even significant. i rather have 14 wo dr. neung. i thought it a cheap way of throwing piram out of the picture. i still wished she told piram how she felt when she woke up. that is really cheap extension when it could have been used differently.
When Na Wee said “I knew that” I could have kicked him – what a troll
I kinda wished that instead of the “Na Wee playing hard to get part” they showed more interactions between Tanyong and his family.
But all in all I enjoyed this lakorn a lot. Boy as Dr. Wee did really well, Bella is very pretty, Aom and Kong are very adorable together <3 and Nong Unda was the highlight of the show. I'm looking forward to see more of her in the future.
Ditto. More Nong Unda pretty please. She was on this talk show I saw a couple of weeks ago and she’s narak maaak. I have a crush on her. I need a kid like that.
There were more that the directors could have done- for instance what you said, as well as focus on the relationship between Dr. Wee and Tanyong. But at last, we can only enjoy what is given to us, so thumbs up!
I loved it <3 Thank you ! (:
What are your next projects? Please let me know Excited to read more 🙂
Pls keep checking back, at this time I have a few lakorns I’m interested in recapping (as far as ch. 3 goes) but we’ll see 🙂 I’m still watching PRPR from ch. 5 though!
Hi Fia, it seems that this movie series has been released quite a long time, Unfortunately, in Vietnam just 3 of 15 episodes have been subtitled. However, on searching for more information for the movie, I luckily find out your blog and your recap for the rest episodes :D. Thank you very much. This is a great dedicateing work of you :D. Ukm, btw, can you give me the name of the baby actress who plays the role of Nong May? She is the most impressing actress in this movie to me, so sweet and so cute with amazing performance. I’ve search for her name (in Vietnamese) but it does not works, so I hope that you can help me to find out her name (so that i can google out some of her photos :D).
Thank you in advance 😀
Hi Phong, Her nickname is Nong Unda (full name เมริน น้องเมย์) and you can follow her on social media. She is definitely the shining star on Pon Prom Onlaweng. Thanks for your comment!