Dao Reurng Episode 9

Don’t judge a book by its cover. Nothing is ever as it seems. There are a million ways to say this- but most importantly, this show has been holding out on us. They have the good stuff and are finally, finally feeding us some of it. To which I am so pleased. It’s such a fun episode, an awesome reconciliation, more fun and some sexiness that keeps me laughing, then laugh-crying (all because of Yaya’s acting) then of course, laughing again. Dao Reurng has really – for the first time since this series started – got me excited for more.

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Episode 9 Recap

A group of ministers, lead by Khun Palat, stops by Reurng’s food booth before they head into the woods. Reurng, as well as the customers whom she is serving (who also happen to be employees of Sia Gampon’s wood mill) are all ears. Cautiously, she writes a brief sentence for Khun Palat to read while she pretends to take their orders.

That night, Reurng sneaks into Khun Palat’s room, shocking his sensibilities you see, because a male and a female ought not to be in the same confines alone, and he tells her this. Reurng retorts that nobody saw her so he could rest assured; instead, he should be concerned for his life. She tells him that if he intends on going to the woods at this time, he’s going to be in trouble because Sia Gampon’s men are cutting down trees overtime and they have guns to keep curious minds away. BUT, if he really wants to go, he needs a good guide. Khun Palat wonders if she’s referring to herself, but Reurng is already in over her head because Sia is sending his minions to her food booth everyday to watch her move. However, she will find a guide for him so he’ll have to sit tight.

We’re not the only ones who wonder why she would sneak into a man’s room in the middle of the night to warn him- Khun Palat- grasps her wrist as she turns to leave- ‘you were worried about me then?’ Heh. She denies it, darting her eyes away, she was merely being a good Samaritan yunno, because she wants to send him back home while still alive. But her awkward and shy actions contradict that as she slowly shuts his door and stands before it with a smile. Khun Palat is pleased.

At the Kayansoi’s household, the minions voiced the concerns that Phoo Yai Pan is feeling: if Luang Taa obtains the Gamnan position, that would mean he would have a higher status and make more money. Phoo Yai Pan isn’t going to let this happen. With a long barrel gun, Phoo Yai Pan and the gang pay a visit to Luang Taa. But Luang Taa seems to anticipate their visit and has his own long barrel ready for them- which causes Phoo Yai Pan to offer a mature, man-to-man conversation.

Bottom line, he wants to be Gamnan. Wan wants to be Gamnan’s son and the minions want to be Gamnon son’s minions. They want the prestigious status moreso than the responsibilities that comes with it. (Aw, should we just give it to you because you asked for it?)

Phoo Yai Pan does lament that he needs to become Gamnan due to the promises he has made to the townspeople, the developments he promises to push forward. He only withdrew because his father’s spirit had forced him to, and that’s why he came to Luang Taa- he will give him anything he wants so long as Luang Taa gets out of the way.

Reurng walks in on time to answer the question for Luang Taa, that they need a good person who is upright to become Gamnan.

The whole group enters the temple to wai to the gods. With their legs folded and sitting across each other, Luang Taa whispers to Reurng on whether they should let it go if Phoo Yai Pan is willing to wash his hands (from doing bad things.) Reurng whispers back that if he obtains the position easily, he won’t see the value of it. They must make him swear before the auspicious elements.

Phoo Yai Pan puts his hands together, prays before the gods by repeating after Luang Taa: that if he becomes Gamnan of Don Pattana, he will serve the people upright and without corruption. He goes on to promise not to make exceptions for people or accept bribery, and he’ll work for the greater good. And if he breaks any of the promise he will drop down to several levels of hell, sever any happiness or prestige. Wan is grimacing at the list of horrible endings for them should his daddy break any of his words.

Luant Taa offers his vote for Phoo Yai if he maintains his words. The gang cheers. Reurng stops Wan before he heads out, that he too needs to agree on something.

Aw, and I really like what happens next.

They are at Khun Palat’s office and Wan questions on whether he would be the right person for it. For once, Reurng assures him that he’s the perfect person for it: he knows the way, he can use a gun and he’s the smartest. She is asking him to be Khun Palat’s guide into the woods!

Reurng uses more arsenals to convince him, that he still owes her momma a favor for going on a date with Sergeant Men, she did it to bail him out of jail. And even if he doesn’t succeed, she would compliment that he has tried his best. Wan wants to know what he gets if he does succeed, and Reurng says that he’ll be the town’s hero. But all Wan wants to be is a hero in Reurng’s heart. He’s so cute. Reurng paints Wan a picture, he would be the hero of the whole nation.

Reurng delivers a large food order to the wood mill. She wonders if she could go work for Sia Gampon too, but the employee mentions that she won’t get hired because Sia likes only cheap labor. She surmises that he must have so many laborers by now and the employee says they work day and night. Even as a driver he has to help with cutting down the trees. Reurng also learns that Sia is out of the country and won’t return until the next few days.

Phoo Yai Pan takes the seat as Gamnan of Don Pattana and promises before his fellow ministers that he will uphold his position with the utmost respect and will put the people first (reiterating what he vowed earlier before Luang Taa.) Khun Palat says to Luang Taa that Reurng has really taken Phoo Yai to town. Now they just need to watch how the new Gamnan plays his role.

Reurng shares with Wan and Khun Palat that they need to investigate soon because Sia won’t be gone for too long. This is news to Wan, apparently he and his father are the only ones in town who aren’t aware that Sia is illegally cutting down trees. Wan wonders if he and his father are buffaloes (dumb) then. Til now, he didn’t know that Sia is taking advantage of the nation’s natural resources. Khun Palat ascertains they need to find evidences to convict Sia Gampon so the rest of the country would know how evil he is.

Reurng tells Wan to take Khun Palat to the area where he used to grow marijuana (heh.) This comes as a shocker to Khun Palat- what, you’re not used to the fact that this town does everything against the book? Wan is convinced he could close his eyes and still walk the premises, he’s that good. He tells Khun Palat that he must follow his orders when they are in the woods. They put their hands together to wash away evil! Go team!

In Bangkok, Preuk(sy) – a pet name that Rose has given to Preuk, walks into her condo and is greeted by many faces. They are preparing for the awards show and Rose is disappointed that he didn’t come dressed in a tux. He explains that he drives a motorcycle, he can’t be wearing a tux, but it doesn’t matter because no one will pay attention to him at the awards show anyway. But it matters to Rose because he’s her manager. They give Preuksy a makeover- the gay coordinators are more than happy to assist.

Wan dresses in a military gear while his minions sob in the background, they beg to go along but Wan says it would be harder to stay alive with them along. Heh. Instead he tells them to take care of his parents. For his nation, Wan is determined to sacrifice himself.

As he’s walking along the beat of his own drum, Mer throws a Buddha necklace around his neck. She has food and medicine prepared for him too in case he needs them while in the woods. She’s so cute. He warns her not to tell anyone about his mission.

And the reveal for Preuksy! With three gay men dressing him, they could do no wrong. Preuk looks sharp and handsome in a tailored black tux, and Rose is taken aback by how good he looks. I like this reverse makeover.

But Preuk is smitten by Rose’s sleek look too and has trouble when she asks him to apply powder on her. So confident that he MUST be gay. Lol.

“You’re beautiful today,” he says.

“And you look cool,” she replies, “we look good together, no?”

Preuk is a little stunned, but sobers up when he realizes she’s referring to their manager-celeb relationship.

“She tells him not to worry, she’s not asking him to marry her- because she knows that even if she takes off her clothes, he won’t change his mind.”

Eh. Not all guys who look yummy, are gay, my dear.

After the logistics are squared away, it’s time for a trek in the woods. Wan tells Reurng to think of him because everything he’s doing (everything he has done) is for her. Which isn’t further from the truth. Khun Palat listens with solemnness.

On the drive to the awards show, Rose says she ought to hire him to be her real manager. But Preuk is not interested; it’s not the line of work that he prefers. She chimes in that she won’t take too much time from his school and it pays more than delivering flowers. Preuk says he is done with school and he wants to return home to work more than staying in the city.

The Director sends three of his police force to aid Khun Palat and the Guide (Wan.) They have been anticipating to meet this notorious Guide, but to Sergeant Men’s chagrin, it’s only Wan. Heh, and before they enter the woods, they put on their war paint (face paint.)

After silliness aside, the gang hears a gunshot from afar. They make haste towards the sound.

Reurng goes to see Luang Taa, and although she doesn’t believe in readings and such, she is however worried enough to ask if he could tell her if Khun Palat and Ai Wan would survive the woods. Luang Taa asks immediately who she wants to know about- and she blurts out Palat- but corrects that she’s worried about both of them. Luang Taa can understand why she’s concerned about Ai Wan, because they grew up together. But he’s a little confused on why she would be worried about Khun Palat. Reurng explains that he’s a good person, he’s taking one for the nation. Luang Taa is unconvinced, but he does the reading anyway.

The group spies the baddies herding a bunch of workers who tried to run away (probably because they were overworked and illegal.) Sergeant Men wants to intervene but Khun Palat says there’s a bigger fish to catch. But Sergeant says that if they let them go, the baddies would only go back and cut the trees. They need to catch them now. Standing up, Sergeant announces himself and takes out his gun. The baddies shoot and the two groups exchange gun fire.

They come up right behind the illegal workers and Sergeant keeps saying “sit down” (in English too) as if they would understand. But his underling speaks a different language, which stops the workers in their tracks. They sit down. Sergeant leaves his men to take care of the workers while he goes after the bigger fish.

Khun Palat and Wan shoot back at the two baddies.

At Luang Taa’s temple, his chalkboard goes crashing to the floor. He blurts out they’re definitely dead! Reurng asks whether one person dies or two? Luang Taa holds out two fingers. Saying it’s her fault, Reung races out.

Luang Taa would be correct, but not our guys who are down, but the baddies! Both Khun Palat and Wan take one down while Sergeant Men shoots the other. One ends up running away but Khun Palat says the bigger picture is taking count of their illegal workers.

Reurng arrives home distraught. She starts to cry and Momma Bancheun goes to her. Reurng tells her mom that Luang Taa says Khun Palat and Wan – who went into the woods- are both dead. Momma remembers seeing Sergeant Men riding back and telling her that they are heading back to retrieve two bodies in the wood. Reurng pales and rushes out.

On her way over, she sees Ai Wan’s minions and tells them that Wan is no longer here and for them to deliver the message to Gamnan and wife that their son’s body is at the hospital. The message doesn’t sink with the minions until the gravity hits them. They scream in agony and are too distraught to find the gumption to tell the family.

Meanwhile Reurng makes it to the hospital and she sees the Sergeant. Khun Palat and Wan had already walked inside with the dead bodies. She asks Sergeant where to find Khun Palat and Wan but Sergeant says the bodies are inside and it’s gruesome, one was shot in the eye and the other in the heart. At this statement Reurng starts to cry, and I I’m caught in between a laugh and a cry, perhaps I’m just crazy.

Reurng cries that it’s her fault, that’s why they’re dead. Unknowing as she keeps talking, Wan and Khun Palat walk out of the room. “Ai Wan, even though he’s naughty he’s not a bad person. But he dies. Khun Palat is a good and skilled person. He’s done so much for the nation-“ she starts to yell through tears, “why must they die because of me?”

Wan is touched, “Nong Reurng, are you crying for me?”

She spins around and two very alive men look back at her. She rushes to each of them and touch them, making sure they’re real. Aw. She’s so happy to see them and Yaya is so good in this scene. In tears she pulls both of them into her arms. Sergeant Men feels left out so she pulls him into the group hug too.

That night Mer waits up for Wan. When the parents arrive everyone became frantic because Wan isn’t home yet, he doesn’t stay out too late because he’s afraid of ghosts (heh.) Then they question the two minions, who are sobbing in the room. They tell the parents the truth that Ai Wan is dead but the parents don’t believe it. They decide to visit the police station instead.

On their way there, it’s pitch black and dogs are howling at night. They see a dark figure, calling out ‘mom.. dad.. I’m hungry..’ the group peer at him and see the war paint on his face and scream, thinking that they saw a ghost. They scramble and huddle in his room, thinking that he probably didn’t know that he’s dead yet. Lol. But Wan appears and says he’s not dead, the parents jump his minions instead for misleading them. Wan jumps in too when he hears that they told his parents he was dead. Lol.

It’s Momma Bancheun and Little Pian’s turn to be afraid. What if the ghosts came back to haunt them? They see Reurng return with Khun Palat sitting behind her. Little Pian mutters out loud that she’s getting haunted. Reurng rushes to the restroom and Momma and Pian try not to make eye contact with the ghost that’s saying hello to them. Lol. They rush in to see Reurng who finds them strange. As she turns to see this “ghost” they are pointing at, the door opens freakishly at the same time, showing Khun Palat standing outside. Reurng decides to tease them a little more. She freaks them out even more by inviting the “ghost” to dinner. Heh. *giggling really hard.

Momma and Pian start to pray for him to rest in peace. But as they peer inside, they see Reurng having dinner with Khun Palat. Then they realize they have mistaken because Sergeant Men came to pick up Khun Palat. Ha. Momma chases her daughter around the house, ready to get even. Khun Palat smiles at their cuteness.

The next morning, news of his minions’ failures reached Sia Gampon and he rips him a new one. He learns that Khun Palat was the one to bring the cops to the scene.

Reurng has a thing or two to straighten out with Luang Taa, whom she thinks is completely fooling the public with wrong readings. But Luang Taa defends that he didn’t say who died, all he said was that two people will die. Reurng is the one who came to her own conclusions. Heh. Luang Taa is curious to learn who she worries more about, Khun Palat or Ai Wan. But we know he’s only asking this question because he already knows the answer, but just wants to rankle her and admit to her own feelings. He gives her a word of advice, he read Khun Palat’s astrology and in the next day or two he will undergo severe bad luck, he could die. Reurng pales. Luang Taa tells her to warn Khun Palat to take caution.

And she does. A motorcycle is heading the same way, two men who are assigned to kill Khun Palat. Reurng drops her keys in time to spot them comparing the real man to the picture. She reports it to the Director who tells her that he will watch over Khun Palat’s safety. He also warns her to be careful.

In Bangkok Preuk(sy)- that name is so cute- waits in the car as Rose goes to a club to do her cameo for a customer’s party. He tells her exactly what his curfew is.

Reurng dressed in black with her face covered up, she climbs Khun Palat’s bedroom window. He catches her around the shoulders and puts a gun to her back, well at least he’s careful! Reurng mutters that if he’s this capable she shouldn’t have come. She warns him to be careful because she saw someone out to get him. Suddenly she hears a calling, and someone is at his house. Khun Palat doesn’t think anything of it until she stops him from leaving the room. It sounds like a civilian but she knows better. She tells him to open the door wide and she will cover his back.

As he throws the door open, a gunshot fires and Khun Palat hits the ground. Reurng inches closer and shoot the gunmen who aimed for Khun Palat. Badass.

A few more baddies come to finish the work but the police vehicle arrive and Reurng leaves. Khun Palat shoots at the last man standing, he too is a pretty good shot.

At the police station, it is determined that one died and one survived. Khun Palat thanks the Director for sending over police to watch over him. But the Director tells him to thank Dao Reurng instead. Khun Palat starts to wonder why she’s getting such quick news- at times he feared she may be one of them. The Director admonishes that she’s a good observer and catches on.

And I love what he confesses next: Dao Reurng is his spy- his insider to the baddies world for a few years now- and it’s a secret between him and Reurng. Now Khun Palat knows too.

Then it dawns on him, he realizes that’s why the police force allows her to be a thug, she could do anything she wanted and never go to jail. The Director says that Reurng has helped them so much in the last year- and most recently, she has tried to create a good name (good work) for Khun Palat. This throws him off and doesn’t sit well with him.

He confronts her later that night, and tells her that he doesn’t need anyone to create a good name for him and that she should take the credit for it too, because she deserves it. That’s why the whole village thinks she’s only capable of being a thug, because she hides every good thing she does. She either hands it off to the police or gives the credit to Khun Palat.

That doesn’t matter to Reurng because she feels the nation is most important. Giving him the credit is suitable because he’s in the ministry, why should it fall on her, the baddies would only come after her. Part selfless and part brilliant.

Nevertheless, Khun Palat believes that people should see the goodness in her too. Reurng relents that as long as she knows, as long as her mother, brother and he knows, that is good enough for her. Aw.

Khun Palat stands up and faces her, “I’m sorry, Dao Reurng. I’ve misunderstood you all this time,” he says tritely. “And thank you so much for saving my life.”

She smiles and just shrugs it off, “You used to help me before, remember? That time when the baddies were shooting after Gamnan Term? If you didn’t help me, I’d have been blown up by them.”

Someone doesn’t take compliments easily. They smile at each other.

Everyone with me: Awwwww.

In Bangkok, after waiting past his curfew, Preuk drags Rose out of the club. She’s a little drunk and asks for 30 more minutes to have some fun. He takes his things out of her car and gives her keys back (wait you don’t mean for her to drunk drive right? Aren’t you a lawyer, Khun Preuk?..)

Rose pleads for him to drive her since she’s inebriated.

Namwarn, former manager and current nemesis, books a condo for her new star in the same complex as Rose to spite that she’s not the only person who’s capable of living here.

Preuk drives the Mercedes into the condo driveway, with Rose standing in her seat, singing to her cellphone. It’s reminiscent of Sood Saneha when Alin dances to Christina’s song (minus the inebriation.)

Reurng walks Khun Palat back to his car and they have an exchange of thank-yous and I’m-just-doing-my duty etc, until things get funny. So after seeing that she’s capable, Khun Palat tells her to resign from spying on Sia Gampon and be a girl once in a while, like others. I call this the foot in mouth syndrome.

Incensed, Reurng balks that she was born a girl, always a girl- and what does he think she is? Heh. Khun Palat averts his eyes from her chest. She steps closer to him, ‘even though you see me like this, I can be sexy too. Watch me.’

She pulls her hair to one side of her shoulder and does her sexy walk and blows him a kiss. Heh. She moves her hip and rests it against his truck, ‘even though I may not have boobs, I can be sexy too!’ she throws her hair back and forth (ala her pr’ek Fai in Duang Jai Akkanee, omg so many tributes to other lakorns heh.)

Khun Palat just busts out laughing. Uproariously. He tells her she looks like a man pretending to be a girl. She attacks him until he grabs her by both wrist and she falls very close to going nose to nose with him. Who’s aware of her sexiness now? Heh.

Khun Palat leans down closer and says that he believes she’s a woman now. She walks away in embarrassment, after he tells her that he adores and finds her cute when she’s behaves like this, definitely more feminine.

Preuk carries Rose back to her condo when she proceeds to sing very loudly until she alerts someone from her room- it’s Namwarn who spies Rose being drunk and listens to their conversation. Reurng’s brother seems to be mistaken for being something he’s not too. Rose wants to prove to Preuk that he likes men, since he doesn’t admit to it and doesn’t deny it either. She pulls him in for a kiss, and it’s perfect timing for Namwarn to creep out of the room to take a paparazzi shot.

Rose tells him to accept that he doesn’t feel anything from that kiss- that he’s gay. Preuk could only look on with some feelings and pull her in for another kiss. To prove to her that he’s not gay.

Namwarn takes some pictures. Preuk apologizes but Rose rushes into her room without another word.

Behind her door, Rose touches her lips, someone’s sober now? Heh.

We are getting lots of cute sentiments from our couples in this lakorn. Khun Palat goes through his camera pictures and thinks about the time Reurng made silly faces because she didn’t want to pose.

Reurng is thinking about him too, and how he told her she’s adorable when she’s being feminine.

Eh, but he takes his cell phone and calls his girlfriend. Wth?

Rose thinks Preuk is calling and doesn’t know whether to pick it up or not. She eventually picks up and realizes it’s Jin.

They both tell each other they’ve been busy with work and didn’t have a chance to call each other. He tells her that he was involved with a mission like in an action movie. She says to be careful because she’s worried about “preuk” when she meant to say “Jin.” But Khun Palat heard her. She says she hasn’t been able to sleep much these days so he tells her to go to bed ‘dek deu’ (meaning stubborn child.) Heh. Rose is like, ‘what? When did I become a stubborn child to you?’ He just covers it up with a ‘you’re not, goodnight.’ Hey, rule #1, don’t call someone when you’re thinking about another person. Lol!

The next morning their single witness has gone missing. Well I hate to tell you this Director, your unit isn’t all that bright. The baddie is hiding behind the wall, looking menacing.

Sia tells his minion to go after that witness and eliminate him before the cops get to him first.

His minion hands money off to the hired hand, he apologizes for failing and surmises that there must be a spy who is sending their whereabouts to the police force. But as he walks away, the minion tires to shoot him to keep his mouth shut, but Sergeant is there too and distracts them. They scramble.

Reurng and Khun Palat are on the scene when they hear gunshots by the stream. The minion got to the hired hand and killed him for good.

But luckily, they have placed a voice/video recorder in his shirt, so all’s not a total waste, just a life gone..

The minion reports to his boss that he has successfully eliminated him. They warn big boss to be more careful and lay low. But the big bad wolf ain’t gonna stay idle, he’s cocky and greedy he doesn’t think those ministry officials have the capability to catch him.

But ain’t no one above an ass whooping. Not even the biggest bad in town.

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Comments:

We are almost on our last leg of this series, and it feels like they’ve incorporated all of the goodness in one episode. Let’s start with the biggest reveal: Dao Reurng.

Not only has she fooled the entire cast in her village, but she has fooled me too. Usually shows sort of take us along for the ride, you know, clueing us in that this is the character’s true personality and how they’re acting in the public is just that- a cover. Turns out, Reurng is a spy for the Director, so to keep people less suspicious of her- she puts on this badass, thugness appearance. But the thing is, she is that and more, the town only sees her as one dimension, while there are so many different sides to her. Perhaps she does what she needs to do to put the food on the table, but she is also an upright citizen, selfless and takes part to help the nation by spying for the police department.

I just love this additional dimension to her, that she doesn’t care who gets the credit, she doesn’t care if she doesn’t look like the hero or look good in front of other people, because helping the country is a good enough of a reward to her. While she knows that in others, they need to feel this appreciation, like Wan- whom appeals to the fact that he could be a hero to his village, to his country. She uses that to tune him to doing good deeds.

She also knows that when you don’t work hard for something, you don’t appreciate it as much. So that’s why she wants to put Phoo Yai Pan through the ringer, and then make him swear and realize how much and why he wants to be Gamnan.

I don’t know if she would have been able to inspire change in her village without our Khun Palat though, because she needed an image that people would respect and trust. She knows they wouldn’t listen to her. And after she realizes that Khun Palat is a good person and takes his job seriously, she starts to impart some credit to him too. But not knowing that she really liked the fact that he found out another side to her. When she tells him that as long as her mother, her brother and him (all people she cares about) know that she’s a good and upright person, that’s all she needs. This is a great reveal that she has let him into her heart. And isn’t it wonderful to know that you can share your burden with someone? She’s been flying solo for so long, and now she has another person who is equally capable of bringing something to the table. He’s contributing to this partner in crime deal. It’s such a sweet development to this piece of the story that I’ve felt was missing.

I LOVE that.

And now when you think about her strength, isn’t it just palpably sad to think about Wan? I really liked that this episode pulled him away from just moping about Reurng all the time. He gets a piece of that action, he gets to finally think about something else worth fighting for (although he claims he’s really doing it for Reurng). He’s such a silly, loveable character that I can’t stay mad at him for too long, he makes me laugh too much. Him and his two dedicated lackeys.

As for the development between Rose and Preuk, she finally gets that he’s not gay. Ha, and what a way to find out no? Despite the falling on each other and looking into each other’s eyes, these two have a lot of tense moments that’s so palpable and you just want them to rip each other’s clothes off already- who needs a storyline when they got so much other stuff going on? I’m also decidedly Preuk’s shipper now, he’s awwwesome. Su-su na ka!

Khun Palat heh, I had to laugh, because he finally understands what Kamjorn referred to when he said earlier in this series that Ai Reurng is NOT a kid. He sure found out otherwise. To think that he has derided to her that he would never leave Don Pattana until he has made her into a good and decent person. Whatcha gonna do now? She’s even better than you. But he’s so secure in his masculinity and has no power trip that the reveal causes him to look at her in an entirely different light. Granted, he has always known she has some goodness in her, but he thinks that she just needed the right guidance, yet lo and behold, she has been helping him, giving him credit and saving his life.

Now he’s totally aware of her “femininity.” But there’s still that quirky, tomboy in her, that’s so very much a part of her. And I love that they are still keeping her true to herself, with mischief and all.

I’m totally digging where this is going or ending, which makes me love it and hate it at the same time. Hating the fact that it has to happen so late in the game (although we’ve gotten laughter along the entire ride) but loving it because so much revelations and depth has been incorporated in one episode and yet, we still get to have so much fun.