Thang Chang Phueak

Thang Chang Phueak (The Milky Way):
Khunying Somthawin is a wealthy and kind-hearted woman who enjoys taking in and raising orphaned girls. One day, Darin, an orphan, is brought to her by Fongchan, a brothel owner, for her to care for. However, Benja, Somthawin’s only daughter, strongly disapproves.
Somthawin has two children: Boonchana, her gentle, quiet, and fragile son, and Benja, who has a completely opposite personality. After Boonchana dies by suicide, Somthawin takes responsibility for raising his two children, Waran and Wam.
Benja tries to push her own daughter, Premsuda, to become Somthawin’s favorite grandchild, but Premsuda shows little interest. Instead, Somthawin entrusts Warin (Wam) to Suree, an earlier adopted orphan, with Ueangkam as her assistant. Somthawin’s trust in Suree only deepens Benja’s resentment.
As time passes, Waran grows into a rebellious young man who neglects his studies and increasingly despises women. Premsuda becomes withdrawn, while Wam grows even more introverted, expressing emotions through piano playing. Somthawin hires a proper music teacher for him.
Darin later witnesses Premsuda in an intimate moment with a female friend. When Benja finds out, she sends both Premsuda and Waran abroad to study. Meanwhile, Wam chooses to study music at Silpakorn University. Despite everything, Somthawin continues to support the children under her care, which fuels Benja’s belief that they are exploiting her mother.
After years abroad, Waran and Premsuda return home. Waran falsely accuses Wam of being gay after Wam brings a foreign friend, Norman, to stay. Later, it is revealed that Norman already has a wife and is only collaborating on music.
Waran falls into destructive behavior, frequenting brothels and abusing women. Fongchan reports this to Somthawin, worsening her heart condition. Meanwhile, Darin passes her entrance exams to study education.
Wam begins to suspect he has psychological issues and believes Waran might as well, urging him to see a psychiatrist—but Waran refuses, worsening his instability. Eventually, Waran assaults Ueangkam, leaving her pregnant. Somthawin forces them to marry, but on the wedding day, after a heated argument, Waran drives off and dies in a car crash.
Blaming herself, Somthawin’s health rapidly declines, and she soon passes away.
At the funeral, Darin meets Wam’s mother, Wipada. Seeing her triggers trauma in Wam, causing him to isolate himself. Wipada, gravely ill, asks Darin to bring Wam to her so she can confess the truth before dying—that she had an affair because Boonchana was sexually incapable. Enraged, Wam refuses to accept this and lashes out at Darin.
He leaves the house, entrusting Benja with all responsibilities. Suree goes abroad to study, while Darin becomes a teacher in the mountains. Ueangkam later dies after giving birth.
In her final moments, Wam visits his mother, who asks for forgiveness. This time, he accepts. He returns home, determined to rebuild what has been lost, including restoring a school.
When Wam learns that Darin is teaching in the mountains, he follows her, apologizes for everything, and asks for her help in rebuilding the school. Through their growing closeness, love blossoms.
In the end, Wam asks Darin to marry him—and they build a life together, eventually having a child.