Kan Lum Khong

Wiangkaew, a 6-year-old Laotian princess, flees from revolutionary forces, crossing the Mekong River with her mother, Princess Wiangkam, and her uncle, Prince Phumueang. They hide deep in a forest on the Thai side.
Prince Phumueang decides to cross back over the Mekong to retrieve old treasures to fund their new life in Thailand. Before leaving, he instructs Princess Wiangkam and Wiangkaew to remain hidden in the forest until they hear the sound of a khaen (a traditional Lao instrument), which will be his signal for them to reunite.
While hiding, Princess Wiangkam ventures out to find food like taro and cassava for herself and her daughter. Tragically, she is bitten by a snake and dies, leaving young Wiangkaew alone, crying helplessly. At the same time, rebel forces arrive, forcing the terrified girl to run deeper into the forest by herself, trembling with fear.
Eventually, she is found by a young boy named Anon, the son of Pa Suea and Mae Daoruang, villagers who live by foraging in the forest. Feeling pity for her, they take her in and raise her as their own daughter, giving her the name “Kaew.”
Meanwhile, Prince Phumueang fails to retrieve the treasure as planned and instead encounters revolutionary forces. He quickly crosses back over the Mekong, determined to rescue his sister and niece. He plays the khaen as a signal, but no one responds. Eventually, he discovers the lifeless body of Princess Wiangkam. Overcome with grief, he mourns his sister, but still holds onto hope and responsibility—to find Princess Wiangkaew.
Sixteen years later, Anon—the boy who once saved Wiangkaew’s life—has grown up…