Dao Kiaw Duen Episode 3

No one ever said going against mainstream expectations would be easy. To what extent is Prakai Dao willing to go to in order to fulfill her dreams? It’s almost a moot question, as we watch her, to the horror of her brother and friend, try to pull off this fake relationship with Khun Chai Jantarapanu, and withholding what he must give in exchange for her help. Despite Dao’s continued strength, we start to see semblance of the consequences of going rogue, and we are forced to wonder, will Khun Chai Jan take her hand and tango, or leave her to fend off the admirers and critics alone?

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EPISODE 3 RECAP

That night of the party and girlfriend reveal, Khun Chai Jan adorns Dao’s neck with a diamond necklace that could light up the whole city. They put their game faces on as he escorts her up the stairs, amidst paparazzi’s curiosity and rapid snapping of their photos.

But as she attempts to gracefully ascend the stairs, her pesky high heels fumble, causing her to trip and unceremoniously fall. But like the proverbial lakorns she tends to bring up, Khun Chai Jan grasps her around the waist- losing himself into her eyes- and righted her effortlessly.

This sets the groundwork to introduce Khun Dao to his high society circle. He is quite pleased with the way everything turned out, and couldn’t resist but follow her out of the van as they pulled to a stop before her condo.

“You did very well today,” he compliments, giving her his rare sweet smiles.

Dao offers to dry clean the dress and return the diamond necklace to him, but he rescinds, “you keep them, and do not refuse.” And with that, he returns to the van and takes off.

Dao is speechless as she caresses the precious rocks. If we were to keep tabs on who has scored more in this little game of theirs, then Dao 1: Khun Chai 0.

News surrounding Khun Chai’s introduction of his new belle circulates the media, and Dao’s friend Jin couldn’t help but admire her best friend’s good looks.

But appearance isn’t the only asset a woman must have in order to qualify to be a future daughter in law, especially in the eyes of Mom, who realizes that this new belle is not merely a rumor. She confronts her son and demands to know the woman’s pedigree: who are her parents, where does she work, and down to where she lives.

“So I take it you heard the news,” Chai Jan surmises.

“Clearly.” Mom is not amused.

Chai Jan tells his mom to take it easy, things aren’t that serious, they are merely at the onset of their relationship.

Suspicious, Mom asks if it really just started, or has their relationship been in the works for some time? She wants to know everything about said woman. “You’re a nobleman,” she reminds him, “from birthright. Our ancestors have only married those with the same caliber. I refuse to accept anyone less than that.”

He reminds her that they haven’t quite gotten there yet.

Redundancy is her forte, “I’m reminding you of who you are- and what type of a woman you should choose. If you don’t want to tell me about her, that’s fine.” Oh but it’s never fine, ‘coz Mom has her own way of finding such things out.

Meanwhile Arn and friend frequent the notorious psychic to get their tarot card read. The psychic confirms that her husband is indeed cheating on her. Even though the card doesn’t say who it is, it apparently has clues towards said woman. She even glances at the best friend, who’s sweating buckets because the description is pointing to her. Yet Arn doesn’t see it, she already has biased towards Dao, so this confirms to her that Dao has been sleeping with her husband.

The psychic further advises that in order to get her husband to cease his affair, she would need to bear him a child. Arn mutters that she has been too caught up in jealousy that she has neglected her “chores.” Lol. She is determined to bed her husband, leaving her lying, cheating best friend simmering in jealousy.

Mom’s method of digging up dirt for Dao is by interrogating Siwa, who uses this new leverage to blackmail Dao into agreeing to be his mistress. Dirty scumbag. He corners her at her condo’s garage (apparently that’s as close as he’s ever going to get to her room) and coos that he won’t fabricate stories to Mom if he could have her. He promises never to leave her again.

Dao just smiles cunningly and lures him for a chat in her car. As he climbs into the driver’s seat, she bangs the door against him, over and over again. Sometimes an ass whooping is necessary for a scumbag. “You’re disgusting. Don’t you dare hope that in this lifetime, you’ll ever have me,” Dao vows, stalking off, leaving Siwa writhing in pain on the ground.

As he staggers home that night, his wife decides to seduce him, giving him a sensual dance. But he’s in too much pain to humor her in lovemaking. Arn stares after his back in dismay. Fail.

To ensure that Siwa doesn’t sabotage her image, Dao calls him out for a chat the next day.

“Your offer sounds interesting,” she lies, “but I want to make sure about something, do you still love me?”

He walks right into her trap, as she’s recording their conversation.

“Yes of course. I. Love. You. A love that never changed, I’ve always loved you- I love you the most.” He incriminates himself even further by confessing to her that he doesn’t love Khun Arn, he only married her because his mother forced him. And if they have an affair, Arn would never find out because she’s dumb. Ha.

Dao smiles at him again and takes out her phone. Check. Too easy. Should he fabricate a story about her to Mom, he can be sure that his wife would hear of this.

Siwa limps away in anger and vows ‘I will make you mine one day!’

Pongjan returns from Hong Kong to a tabloid about Dao and Khun Chai being an item. In disbelief, he decides to seek her out.

Ying Nim stops by Dao’s photo shoot to pick up the photos that were taken at her shop. She asks to stick around and watch Dao work while she waits for her appointment.

But as she walks into the restroom, she spots a man who’s partially dressed and thinks he’s doing something dirty in there. She screeches and runs back to Dao, upon which turns out, the ‘pervert’ is Pongjan who had been cleaning paint off his pants.

We already know that because Ying Nim and Pongjan don’t get along they are meant to be. Ha.

She doesn’t like him on sight and she’s protective of Dao, since she’s eyeing her to be her future sister in law, so Ying Nim is determined to be the third wheel. Besides, what kind of man would hit on a woman who supposedly already has a boyfriend? Even if it’s all a charade, he doesn’t know that, so therefore, he’s not a good guy. That’s Ying Nim’s rationale.

Pongjan accuses Dao of being mean, having a boyfriend so quickly and tearing up his heart. (Ying Nim motions gagging) she wonders where the smell of stinky water is coming from. Ha. She decides her appointment is not as important as sticking around Dao, and protecting her from Pongjan.

Mom learns from Siwa, that Dao comes from a good stock and happens to be the same photographer that saved Khun Chai’s life, but she still can’t breathe a sigh of relief, because coming from an old and prestigious family name is most important to her. She puts another plan into action: invite Dao to their palace for lunch as a front to get to know her.

Khun Chai relays this news to Dao, he tells her that she must go and she can’t act suspicious. Most importantly, she cannot be herself. Dao scrunches her eyebrows, thinking to herself that if he’s not her baby daddy, she wouldn’t give two cents about pretending to be someone else. He also reminds her that she has given her word to help him. Annoyed, Dao tells him to fire away. First task? Appearance. Who smells a makeover?

They go shopping and finally decide on a pale pink two-piece outfit.

And apparently, when Dao made the decision to be Khun Chai’s girlfriend, her logical friend Lin and brother, had been out of town. Dao shares with her girlfriends about her lunch date at the palace, and Lin mutters that it feels like she missed something quite important while away. Ha.

She nearly loses her mind when she learns that Dao has agreed to be Khun Chai’s girlfriend in exchange for his sperm- only he doesn’t know that. And what Jin had failed to remind Dao (since Jin is the only friend available at the time to consult) is that Khun Chai is a traditional man and he would not agree to give up his sperm to her. Society hasn’t even embraced this concept, Lin wants to know what makes Dao think that Khun Chai would succumb? Dao, like the good friend she is, blames Jin for talking her into it. Heeh.

She doesn’t get let up easily though as her brother stops by the condo to drop off some gifts he purchased from Japan. But the look on the three girl’s faces stopped him in his track.

He drags his younger sister upstairs and scolds her, wishing that were she a child, he would spank her. “It’s already crazy that you want to have a baby on your own, now you’re pretending to be that Khun Chai’s girlfriend in exchange for his sperm? Good gawd, our parents are scolding me from heaven right now!”

Brother Din continues ranting, “I agree with Lin that he would never do such a thing for you. He’ll end up chastising me, our parents and even our ancestors. Where am I going to keep my face? What about my wife? Kids?”

Their words, the people she cares about, start to mold itself in her mind, giving her a nightmare, heavy consequences of her actions. Her friends and family would reject her, society would scorn her (and would rally to get her kicked out of the country.) Men would fear being near her because she would want their sperm- an exaggeration that is ignorance in the face of the unknown path. The dream terrifies her.

But Dao puts her best foot forward the next day as Ying Nim picks her up to dine at the palace. She meets Mom again and gives the elder her respect. Suddenly, Nanteenee appears in a turquoise dress, acting as mom’s right hand woman.

They proceed to show her the palace, recount their hundreds of year old nobility lineage, and that the woman who marries Khun Chai would take on Mom’s role and run the palace. It’s a tactic to intimidate and belittle Dao. Yet Dao isn’t a person easily intimidated for one, nor is she truly interested in marrying Mom’s son. But as she gazed at the photographs of his ancestors, she couldn’t help but be somewhat mesmerized.

Ying Nim asks after Dao, who replies that she’s already shameless, this is nothing she couldn’t handle.

In the dining room, a long line of servers makes a procession towards the table. Before they could get close, Dao uses her own intimidation tactics. She predicts exactly what’s on the menu and even attempts to fluently pronounce the dishes in Engllish with a smile. Everyone is shocked at her skills and she explains that while studying in New York, she has a noble friend from Monaco who has taken her to dine at his family’s palace. This fancy palace and hall is no stranger to her. Dao establishes the fact that they may be born into this, but she has the knowledge and class to minge with their kind.

Nanteenee is peeved, Mom is embarrassed. As Khun Ying takes Dao back home, Mom comments that Nan’s plan sucks. It doesn’t work and if she wants to break the two up, she needs to come up with a better plan. Ha. I wonder what’s more embarrassing, a girl you don’t want as your daughter in law outwitting you, or the girl that you want as a daughter in law being a total dummy?

Khun Ying and Khun Chai are pleased with Dao’s performance and wonders if she really has a noble friend from Monaco. Dao merely says she made it up and that she knew the menu because she has a friend who’s a chef. Chai Jan shakes his head and says she’s quite skilled at acting. And it’s not a compliment because he doesn’t know whether the statements she thereby makes are true or false. Dao lifts her shoulders nonchalantly and replies that it all depends on the situation and that she’s not a habitual liar. Chai Jan just smiles, not entirely sure what to make of her.

When Ying Nim walks Dao to the condo, they see Pongjan waiting to take her to lunch. Ying Nim immediately gets irritated and she speaks on Dao’s behalf that Dao is full in the stomach and heart because she just had lunch with Chai Jan and Mom. She wonders why Dao is so nice to Pongjan when the man is a snake. Dao replies that it’s best to keep friends. (Still keeping plan B alive? Yunno, don’t put all your eggs in one basket?)

Ying Nim pouts and tells Dao straight up that she wants Dao and her P’Chai to date in real life. Dao smiles and says that it cannot happen, but Ying Nim is right, one can’t be too sure, right?

As Ying Nim walks in the mall, she spies Pongjan eating alone, and couldn’t resist pestering him. She says a man like him ought to have a string of ladies to eat with him. But Pongjan wants peace and shoos her off, he even comments that he doesn’t find her attractive because she brings him bad luck. Ha. Affronted, Ying Nim stomps away, but not before she spots his serving dish and adds a healthy dosage of salt.

He chases after her, after the bite of salty pasta, and demands for an apology. She spats that he should leave Dao alone because she’s already taken, but Pongjan declares that Dao hasn’t said a word that she’s taken, only Ying Nim has. At this comment, she starts to dart her eyes away, unable to lie. Pongjan smells fish and decides to investigate. Something tells him that Dao and Khun Chai’s relationship is unusual.

Ah, but our Khun Chai, as he’s working out, couldn’t stop the smile from escaping his face when thinking about Dao. His police friend surmises that he must really like her, but Khun Chai denies that they are too different. He can’t like her. The police friend brings up the fact that Khun Chai has been single for many years now, why don’t he open himself up to other possibilities? Is it because he still misses her? And finally, we get a glimpse as to who this her is and why they broke up.

Chai Jan is in his office as he peers at the photo of his ex girlfriend, he flashes back to the day she shared unpleasant news with him. She’s continuing her medical school in the US and plans on living in the US forever. This could only spell out that she doesn’t plan on meeting his Mom and will not return to Thailand. Perhaps he expected her to return to Thailand and immerse in his life. She couldn’t possibly ask him to stay in the US. And so at the end of the day, they are too different, which causes him to determine that people who want two very different things in life, and who come from two very different worlds, cannot have a successful relationship, much less marriage.

Meanwhile the baddies join forces. Nanteenee overhears Arn and friend talking smack about Dao and seeks out their help. They have a common interest: which is to sabotage Dao. Arn and friend tells Nan to keep an eye on Khun Chai while they find some material to damage Dao.

Pongjan is on a mission to uncover whether Dao and Khun Chai are truly an item. He contrives for Dao to take a photography assignment at his resort in Khao Yai.

Khun Chai seeks Dao’s help in selecting girl toys for a charity event that he’s hosting tomorrow- his foundation has sponsored a library for the needy kids, and he wants her to be there, since Nan will be there as well. Dao declines as she has work to do- Chai Jan figures offering her more money would get her to change her mind- but Dao is a professional and her commitment is more important than money. Shouldn’t he know that already? Tsk tsk. Chai Jan. But Dao is a pro when it comes to kids, and the two happily go shopping for girl toys. Cute.

The following day, Dao arrives at the resort only to discover that it’s Pongjan’s resort. She eyes her scheduler, who immediately jumps into the defense, but Dao hadn’t blamed him for anything. Pongjan relents that he didn’t want Khun Chai to misunderstand so he had Je arranged the work for him. He appeals to her interst by offering to take her rock climbing once her work is done for the day. Dao couldn’t resist the offer as rock climbing is one of her favorite things in the world.

Not too far from where Dao is at, Khun Chai is closing up the new library that was built for the kids. Nan is ever present, dressed so silly as usual and tries to stick to him like glue. Luckily Ying Nim is there, and uses the excuse that ‘we wouldn’t want P’Dao to misunderstand, would we?’

But Khun Chai can’t stand being around annoying Nan for much longer, so Ying Nim advises him to call Dao to come rescue him, and he must use a calm tone- no ordering her about. Ha, she knows her bro too well. Unfortunately Pongjan rejects the call on her phone with a smile.

It’s a small world in Khao Yai, as the two group dine at the same restaurant. Chai Jan spots Dao walking in with two men and excuses himself from the table to follow.

Pongjan is in the process of inquiring her about how she and Khun Chai started dating. Dao uncomfortably says that love doesn’t take very long for them, which to Pongjan is strange because Khun Chai is ever the picky one and he doesn’t believe that two people could date in a matter of days. Dao excuses herself from the table as well, thinking to avoid the interrogation altogether. You guuys, don’t you need to get your love story straight before you commence this shenanigan?

Chai Jan finds her by the bathroom and isn’t pleased at the conclusion he came up with. He accuses her for turning off her phone so she could go out with Pongjan, that she totally forgot her duty. Dao flares up and asks what duty does she have anyway? Ha. Chai Jan impatiently reminds her that she’s pretending to be his girlfriend, she’s his employee (eye roll) and therefore she needs to act the part otherwise their plan will fail if it reaches Mom’s ears. Resigned, Dao tells him she’ll do better, but as she makes her way back to Pongjan, Chai Jan tells her that she must go back with him. He’ll be the one to explain to Pongjan.

Meanwhile Nan spies them arguing and plots for the reporters to think that the two are fighting because Dao is cheating on Chai Jan with Pongjan.

As for Ying Nim, when she spots Pongjan, she tries to find a way to stall him so her P’Chai can talk to Dao. She asks for a few minutes of his time and tells him a sob story about a previous boyfriend who turned gay. Lol.

Chai Jan tells Pongjan that Dao will be leaving with him, to which Pongjan says they’ve already made plans to go rock climbing. At this time, the whole gang: reporters, Mom and Nan catch up to them, wondering about the scene.

Chai Jan thinks on his feet and pulls Dao close to him. He announces to the reporters that they are not fighting, that they are madly in love with each other, and there’s no third hand in this. To prove his point, he leans down and kisses her on her cheek. Everyone gasps, even Dao, who pretends it’s totally normal to be kissed by a fake boyfriend. The reporters ask him to kiss her again so they can catch it on camera. He nods his head and repeats. Heeh. (If anyone’s keeping tabs Dao:1 Chai Jan:1)

Angry, Dao follows Khun Chai into the men’s restroom shortly thereafter.

“How can you do that to me?” she questions, peeved.

“It’s just acting. It’s not like I want to kiss you,” Chai Jan snipes, “In fact I came here to wash my mouth.” Oh, what an ass.

“So you are disgusted of me?” she gripes.

“No, you just don’t match well with me.” Omg.

“You’re so damn full of yourself!” With that said, she’s outta there.

But not before Pongjan emerges from the corner with a smile. He heard the whole thing.

Since Dao has already agreed to go rock climbing with Pongjan, Chai Jan feels he must join them. But he’s never rock climbed before, having only entertained the gym. So pretty boy dusts his soft hands and prepares to rock climb. Pongjan gives a word of advice about the method of rock-climbing, and that Khun Chai should not let go of the rope (but he’s referring to Khun Chai’s possibility of letting go of Dao.) Ying Nim snipes that when her P’Chai has something in his grasp, he would not let it go.

He struggles at first, but seems to fare well as he helps Dao hoist herself from a stumble. He advises her to descend as he tends to the big scrape on her knee. It’s a big deal as Mom and Nan, even Ying Nim observe how much care he takes with Dao.

Yet again Mom mutters that Nan is useless and needs to do better with her sabotaging if she really wants them to break up. Otherwise there is nothing Mom could do. Lol. I love how Mom is not pleased with Nan’s failed attempts. Who wants to be with losers, anyway?

As Chai Jan walks Dao back to her condo, he orders her to give him her word that she won’t go out with Pongjan and other men again. Dao replies that she’ll try but he wants her to make it happen. To soften his bossiness, he tells her to apply some more meds to her cut, and then he’s off.

Dao smiles at his backwards, caring ways.

The firm scolding from Mom causes Nan to complain to the two baddies. She’s had it with Dao and she needs to break them up. But the ideas that she put forth are so menial and average, that the two says they’ll come up with it on their own. Should Dao find out, Nan would be the scapegoat.

We find out just what the two baddies have in mind. They have strewn papers all over Dao’s white SUV, scorning her in the public’s eyes. Random strangers would stare with malice at her. She’s mortified. She finally pulls over and strips the sheets away from her car. Pongjan appears and help her take the papers down.

“Who do you think did this to you?” he asks, as they sit at a local café.

“Nanteenee. She’s displeased that I’m seeing Khun Chai.”

After a beat, Pongjan asks, “Can I be straightforward with you? Are you and Khun Chai really dating?”

“Yes,” Dao says immediately. “Why do you ask me that?”

“I would be mad if others lie to me like this. But I’ve overheard you and Khun Chai talking. I know this is a sham.”

Dao is surprised, caught.

“Why are you doing this?”

“I have my reasons,” Dao replies.

“Money?” he guesses, “no, that’s not right. Must be something else far more valuable than that.”

“I can’t tell you. Please don’t ask me. And don’t tell anyone,” she leans over the table, “what I want from Khun Chai is my dream.”

“What is your dream? Can you tell me?” he prods. “Perhaps I can give it to you.” Oh, he doesn’t know the half of it.

“Please don’t make me answer it.”

Sometime later, Dao requests for Nanteenee’s address, she has to make a quick delivery. Once there, and Nan is witnessing her, Dao lights the box of scorned papers on fire. She threatens Nan that if she dare do anything to her next time, there won’t be just fire, but something else that Nan values will be at stake. Nan is confused.

This latest development in Khun Chai and Dao’s story got Pongjan to show up at Ying Nim’s place of work (the shop) and rubs it in her face.

“I know the truth..” he starts. When he tells her, Ying Nim pales.

“What if I told Mom the truth? Do you think that would be good? If she finds out, she would surly marry Khun Chai off to Khun Nan.”

“And you think P’Dao would like you for that?!” Ying Nim exclaims.

Pongjan tells her that he’s clearly a better man than Khun Chai, he’s rich, romantic, handsome, etc, if he turns on his full charm, Dao would be a goner. Ying Nim rolls her eyes and swears she won’t let that happen, which only causes Pongjan to suspect that a certain someone has a crush on him? Ha. Perhaps that is the best way to keep him away from Dao, Ying Nim should totally pursue him. Yunno, take one for the team?

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COMMENTS

The thing with Ying Nim and Pongjan is that the set up for a good romance side story is there, the direction and writing is there, unfortunately the acting is not quite there yet. There’s just so much potential for this secondary couple and I can only hope that their acting and chemistry would improve throughout the course of this lakorn.

A surprising thing though, as far as Pongjan’s character goes (not the acting) he’s slowly warming up to me. At first I couldn’t care less for his character, because he seems to be just a one-dimensional playboy. But now he’s in on the secret and he is truly interested in Dao. His admission towards her is genuine and I like that he says if they are truly together, he wouldn’t meddle, but since he knows that they’re only pretending, he’s not going to give up. Can you fault a guy for trying? What matters moving forward is whether he can offer himself to be a strong competitor towards Khun Chai.

But I doubt the lakorn would go there, because Dao is meant for Khun Chai and Pongjan will find his match with Ying Nim. We may not have a legitimate love triangle a la kdramas. At any rate, I’m starting to like Pongjan’s character, I just hope the acting can be up to par.

This episode continues to highlight Dao’s strengths. She’s not easy to mess with (as the baddies have learned) and she’s so focused on getting to the point where she can grasp her dream. But a girl can only pull off this sham with help from her partner. I can see that the two respect each other; she can tell that he has a caring nature despite having a sharp tongue, and Khun Chai can tell that she has a strong work ethic and is fearless. He’s slowly getting jealous and possessive of his fake girlfriend, and I hope that will amount to actual feelings being developed. At this time, the two haven’t the opportunity to explore that arena, as they are too busy pretending to love each other, then sniping at each other afterwards.

And I look forward to the nitty gritty soon, now that an additional person is aware of their fake relationship, and they have to some how, some way, convince Mom that they are a good match, while keeping the ill intentions at bay. I know that Dao can fight her own battles, but I want to see Khun Chai meddle some more (whether that accounts to making matters worse for her or not) it’ll just be nice to see them tango.