Mae Ai Sae Eun

Daonil, the most beautiful young woman in a village in Mae Ai district, is highly skilled in traditional sword dancing. Her father, Khampan, is a master teacher of Lanna performing arts, and Daonil’s sword dance is widely renowned. Meanwhile, her younger sister, Chor-ueang, is equally talented at playing the sabudchai drum.
However, their talents bring conflict. Khampan’s troupe faces rivalry from Nuan Muang, a neighbor who wants to take over their performance jobs. At the same time, Rinkham—Nuan Muang’s daughter—is jealous of Daonil’s beauty, especially because Ton, the village headman’s son, has fallen for her. Rinkham constantly tries to sabotage Daonil, but Daonil always manages to protect her father and sister.
One night, Daonil performs at the grand opening of a resort, where she meets Songpol, the hotel owner, who admires her talent. Daonil is touched by his smile, but Songpol already has a girlfriend, Jidapa, and shows no interest in her.
Soon after, Khampan begins losing his vision. A medical check reveals he has glaucoma and needs urgent treatment to avoid sudden blindness. Desperate to earn money, Daonil looks for more work, but Sak, a job broker, tries to assault her. She fights him off in self-defense. Taking advantage of the situation, Nuan Muang teams up with Sak to ruin Khampan’s troupe, leaving them without work.
Refusing to give up, Daonil goes to the city in search of opportunities and crosses paths with Songpol again. However, ashamed of her poverty, she can only watch him walk away. Later, Wilai, her friend who has returned to visit her mother, Aunt Bua, learns that Daonil needs work and persuades her to go to Bangkok. Though hesitant to leave her father, Daonil ultimately departs in tears, unable to bear the thought of him going blind.
In Bangkok, Wilai betrays her—drugging her and selling her into prostitution. Daonil initially refuses, but Wilai persuades her by reminding her of her father’s condition. Reluctantly, Daonil continues working, determined to return home once she has earned enough money.
Meanwhile, Songpol wants to marry Jidapa, but Saonoi, the family’s longtime nanny, disapproves of Jidapa’s arrogance and does everything she can to obstruct their relationship. Despite attempts by Songpol’s brothers, Thewan and Songwut, to help, Saonoi succeeds, and Jidapa eventually leaves Songpol, leaving him heartbroken.
Songwut takes Songpol to a massage parlor to cheer him up, where Daonil encounters him again—this time in a far more humiliating situation. Songpol, drunk, does not recognize her. Daonil, however, willingly gives herself to him.
After finally saving enough money to return home, Daonil discovers she is pregnant. Wilai forces her to have an abortion, but the illegal clinic is raided by police. Daonil is sent to a hospital, where Dr. Thewan saves her life and helps her come to her senses. She breaks down, declaring she cannot destroy the life of a child born from love.
Moved by her story, Thewan takes her to stay with Khunying Tid, a clothing shop owner. Mistakenly believing Daonil to be Thewan’s mistress, Khunying Tid hires her, hoping to gain favor. But once she learns the truth—that Daonil is merely a patient—she and her employee Phueng overwork and mistreat her. Daonil gives birth prematurely, and her baby is born with a disabled leg.
Khunying Tid demands that Daonil take the child elsewhere. When Daonil plans to return home, Khunying Tid threatens to charge her for damages to the shop caused during childbirth. Fearing Thewan will be implicated, Daonil decides to leave her child in Mae Ai and promises to return to work off her debt.
Back in Mae Ai, Daonil returns with a child, shocking everyone. Chor-ueang immediately defends her, insisting the child is not hers. Under pressure, Daonil lies, claiming the baby belongs to a deceased friend. Khampan is overjoyed to have his daughter home, while Chor-ueang begs her not to return to Bangkok.
Daonil leaves her son, Klon, in their care, promising that once she has repaid her debt to Khunying Tid, she will return to Mae Ai as soon as possible.