sambaimaitao

Brought to us by Maker Group Production and directed by Chai Chatayodom, Sam Bai Mai Tao, is the newest weekend installment from Channel 3. Airing its first episode last Sunday, this remake from ’95 brings on a lighthearted family drama to the current lakorn lineup.

The story follows a warm and loving family- as seen in the above photo – albeit with a strict father. There is nothing more in life that he loves more than to freeze the moments with his daughters and keep them where he wants them. Perhaps due to his possessive and interfering parental ways, his three daughters are anything but under his firm control.

Meet Konwasa (Nycha Nuttanicha), the eldest daughter who recently finished her studies abroad and is groomed to take on the family business. The problem is, Konwasa is independent and prefers to be successful on her own terms and opts to work for an International interior designing company rather than working for her old man’s renown construction firm. This bugs Papa Bear to no end. But wait ‘til he finds out the bigger secret that she’s hiding from him. Konwasa married her sweetheart (Alex Rendell) while living in San Francisco, but because he hasn’t established himself nor come from an established family, she feels that her father would not accept him. Once the two returned to Thailand, she asked him to keep their marriage a secret – let’s tell everyone we’re friends! – until he opens his own restaurant and make her proud enough to introduce him to her family.

Second daughter is Anthra (Ice Amena), who feels more comfortable in jeans and a flannel, not to mention, works as a private eye for women who suspects their spouses are cheating on them. Naturally, this has turned her into a man hater – or maybe she has always been a man hater (we don’t know) – so her mission in life is to reveal men for their true colors. She relented that there are good men out there – but it’s few and far in between – and she’s not holding her breath. But the next person she is paid to investigate (Louis Scott) will put her judging ways to the test, will she actually meet a one-woman kind of man?

The youngest daughter is Intuorn (Pream Ranida) who wants everyone to get along, and doesn’t want to rock the boat. She loses sleep on whether she would disappoint her father in any way. Her dream is to be a ballerina – she has calluses and bloody toes to prove it – but even after getting into a ballet institution in America, she fears that her father would not approve. To top it off, she crushes on a man whom she refers to as uncle (Smart Krissada)(they’re not related- she met him since she was a little girl) and he had been the one to carry her in his arms and danced with her. He also introduced her to her favorite classical music. It is too bad he’s more than ten years her age, it is too bad he is already married, and it is too bad he’s her father’s friend, or is it? Turns out, this aforementioned man is named Sith, a rich socialite who had an arranged marriage with a woman who is the worse match for him. He has been unhappy ever since.

One of life’s biggest challenge as a parent is learning to let go. As much as we want to freeze time or shrink our little one in our pockets, they will grow up and have their own lives. We will watch Asada (the father) tested with this challenge and see how his perfect family life unravels before his eyes. Will he learn to let go or will he push his daughters even further due to his stubborn, controlling ways? One thing is true, he does have his heart in the right place. And to cast the perfect father? This veteran actor certainly knows how to make his story compelling.

Unfortunately I haven’t fallen in love with any of the main characters yet. I feel sorry for Sang (Alex Rendell) the most because his wife is too ashamed to fully introduce him to her family. Despite vowing to go through the thick and thin together, she’s basically telling him that he’s only worthy to be introduced to her family – and thus be accepted by her family – if he becomes successful in his own right. It would be a different story if it was coming from him – that he wants to be better for her, for himself– but Konwasa mostly fears her father won’t accept him as a mere chef. I do find that among the other couples, these two have the most chemistry. I just hope that Sang will find the strength to stand up to her and learn that perhaps his love should be enough, as her love for him is enough. Besides, he will make a great Mr.Mom.

I haven’t found the craving for more episodes, so I may sit out for the rest of this lakorn, awaiting the next lakorn to suck me in. But it could be your cup of tea, really.