Priao Talat Taek

“I-Preaw Talad Taek” (“Preaw, the Market-Wrecker”) is the nickname the people of Plai Dong District have unanimously given to Preaw (Pattrathida Patcharaveerapong), a bold, capable, and fearless young woman whose toughness can subdue even the toughest men. But fate seems to enjoy teasing her, because her number one rival, Police Captain Chianchai Chananon (Khet Thanthup), is assigned as the new police inspector of Plai Dong Police Station. Preaw and Inspector Chianchai clash from the moment they first meet, especially because Preaw had already crossed him without knowing he was the new inspector. From then on, every encounter between them turns into a confrontation. Although Aunt Sam-ang (Pimpan Chalaikupp), who has raised Preaw since infancy, tries to keep her in line, Preaw always finds ways behind her aunt’s back to play nasty tricks on Chianchai.
The reason Preaw is so rough, rebellious, and tougher than most women probably lies in how she was raised by Father Ouan (Ekkapan Banluerit). Since Preaw was still a baby, Ouan fled Bangkok with his daughter and his younger sister Sam-ang to hide in Plai Dong District. Ouan keeps to himself, associating with no one, and even teaches Preaw himself instead of sending her to school or allowing her to socialize. As a result, Preaw grows up suspicious, withdrawn, and longing for a mother’s love.
Inspector Chianchai’s work is also hindered by the district’s two main local power brokers: Kamnan Sai (Kovit Wattanakul), a ruthless illegal logging boss, and Sia Sengsak (Pipatpon Komaratat), the greedy owner of a rice mill and sawmill who monopolizes nearly all business in the district. They begin trying to win over the inspector with expensive gifts, but Sia Sengsak has a deeper plan: he tries to pair Chianchai with Siriya (Apisada Kreuakhongkha), his beloved daughter who has just returned from France with a degree in fashion design. Siriya herself is more than willing, but Chianchai rejects her.
At the same time, Chianchai’s growing closeness to Sam-ang angers Saen (Naphat Patmasingh Na Ayutthaya), Kamnan Sai’s son, who is both jealous and resentful because he has long pursued Sam-ang without success. Another person unhappy about it is Preaw, who does not want her aunt involved with her enemy, so she and Saen temporarily make peace in order to get rid of Chianchai. Another secretly heartbroken figure is Sergeant Pliew (Rawit Raiwin), a policeman abandoned by his wife, who had hoped Sam-ang would heal his wounded heart. But when the inspector—whom Pliew deeply respects—gets there first, Pliew can only suffer in silence.
Later, Preaw tries to repair the old bridge across Khao Chong Khat, an ancient route that the people of Plai Dong use to connect with the outside world and which has fallen into dangerous disrepair. She bribes Saen by promising that if he secretly steals some of Kamnan Sai’s timber for the bridge repairs, she will help him get closer to Sam-ang. Saen immediately agrees, not realizing they are being watched by Chianchai all along. On the day the illegal timber is to be delivered—coinciding with the annual Kathin ceremony attended by visitors from Bangkok—Chianchai catches Preaw red-handed with the evidence. In the midst of the chaos, Piak jumps away and lands on Sergeant Pliew, causing the gun in Pliew’s hand to go off accidentally. The driver panics at the gunshot and the vehicle overturns. Chianchai and Pliew rush in to save everyone, and Preaw, even while being detained, throws herself into danger alongside Chianchai to help rescue the passengers. Everyone in the vehicle survives by a hair’s breadth.
Among those rescued are Director-General Angsuthorn (Trin Setthachok), his wife Thipchan (Monthana Himathongkam), and their two daughters: Dr. Khaechawee (Atichanan Srisawake) and Khaolada (Palita Kosolsak). They are deeply grateful and moved by the kindness of both Chianchai and Preaw. That night, because their car is damaged, the family must stay overnight at the temple. Khaolada, spoiled and self-centered, is irritated the whole time, but Khaechawee falls in love with the place and its people. Chianchai and Khaechawee talk easily and quickly grow close. By the time they part, Chianchai is beginning to believe Khaechawee is the kind of woman he has long been searching for, and he invites her to apply to become the district’s resident doctor.
The villagers are overjoyed to welcome the new doctor. Preaw herself gets along very well with Dr. Khaechawee and is glad to finally have a doctor in the district. Khaechawee feels affection for Preaw as if she were a younger sister. Chianchai asks the doctor to help teach Preaw to be more ladylike. Since the doctor’s arrival, Chianchai seems more energetic than ever, and the villagers begin gossiping that good news between the inspector and the doctor may soon follow. Yet both Chianchai and Preaw begin to reexamine their own feelings.
One day, while helping her father gather bamboo shoots in the forest, Preaw sees Kamnan Sai and Sia Sengsak working together to cut down the forest illegally. Furious, she is determined to expose them. She sends Piak to fetch a camera and buy film. Dr. Khaechawee comes to Preaw’s house out of concern, but Preaw is not there, so she gets the chance to talk with Sam-ang, and the two get along very well. But when Ouan learns that Khaechawee’s parents are Director-General Angsuthorn and Thipchan, both he and Sam-ang are stunned. Ouan tells Khaechawee to leave. The doctor quietly suspects that Ouan knows her parents, but Ouan denies it and drives her away until Chianchai arrives to take her home.
Thipchan, meanwhile, cannot stop thinking about Preaw’s eyes. Eventually she persuades her husband and Khaolada to return to Plai Dong, under the pretext of visiting Khaechawee. Later, Chianchai receives an anonymous envelope containing photographs of people cutting timber and realizes illegal deforestation is taking place. He consults Sergeant Pliew and suspects the photos may have been sent by Preaw, but Chianchai says he does not believe Preaw would do something so good. Preaw is furious when she hears this and refuses to see him for several days. Pliew tells him he still does not understand Preaw well enough: she may seem harsh on the outside, but she deeply loves Plai Dong. Dr. Khaechawee helps smooth things over and explains Chianchai’s reasoning until Preaw understands. She then asks Preaw to help pick up her parents at the train station. Director-General Angsuthorn and his wife show great affection toward Preaw, and Preaw feels a warmth and bond with Khaechawee’s family unlike anything she has ever felt before, while Khaolada remains annoyed by everything.
When Thipchan realizes that Preaw is Ouan’s daughter, she comes to their house, but Ouan refuses to speak with her and orders her away. Sam-ang begs Ouan to tell the truth and do the right thing, but he refuses. Later, Thipchan consults with her husband about Preaw. The Director-General becomes desperate to take Preaw back, but Thipchan urges him not to use force and says they first need to explain the truth to Khaechawee and Khaolada—that Khaolada is not their biological daughter. But Khaechawee overhears this conversation. She tells her parents that she heard everything and has actually known the truth for a long time. The real concern, she says, is whether Khaolada can accept it—and more urgently, how to make Ouan return Preaw to her real parents as soon as possible.
Khaechawee goes to plead with Ouan to return Preaw, but he refuses. Sam-ang then tells Khaechawee the entire past: Ouan had once been obsessively in love with Thipchan. When Thipchan got married and had a child, Ouan kidnapped the baby—Preaw—in revenge, even though Thipchan had done nothing wrong. Sam-ang only agreed to follow Ouan to Plai Dong because she pitied Preaw and feared Ouan could not raise her alone. Khaechawee then consults Chianchai and they devise a plan to bring Preaw back.
At a workers’ camp deep in the forest, Preaw is sent by Chianchai to distract the illegal loggers and buy time while police surround the site from all sides. She stalls as long as she can, nearly getting mobbed by the workers before Chianchai finally orders the raid, almost as if he had deliberately left her in danger. In the end, the police capture nearly the entire logging crew, but the worst criminals—Kamnan Sai and Sia Sengsak—escape.
That night, Preaw overhears Sam-ang asking Ouan to return her to her real parents, but neither Ouan nor Sam-ang will answer her questions. Preaw runs away from home. Meanwhile, Kamnan Sai, Sia Sengsak, and Siriya hide out in a safe house and plot not only to deal with Preaw but also to kidnap Khaechawee as leverage. Khaechawee is dragged off and imprisoned in a hut at the end of a field, but fortunately Preaw manages to rescue her. However, when they return home, Inspector Chianchai—who has not yet had a chance to explain anything—harshly scolds Preaw for wandering outside at night. Hurt and angry, Preaw storms off, and then Khaolada disappears as well.
Khaolada is threatened by Sia Sengsak’s men and Siriya, who try to force Chianchai and Khaechawee to comply with the illegal logging ring’s demands. Chianchai plans a rescue mission, but he needs Preaw’s help, so he goes to apologize and beg her to assist. At Kamnan Sai’s house, Saen consults with Preaw and suggests drugging the henchmen’s drinks with sleeping pills so Preaw can sneak in and rescue the hostage. He helps her because he no longer wants his father to commit further crimes. Preaw promises to support him wholeheartedly. They follow the plan. Preaw gets Khaolada out, but Kamnan Sai blocks her path and shoots her in the leg. Still wounded, Preaw pulls Khaolada along and tells her to run. They soon confront Sia Sengsak and Siriya. Preaw shields Khaolada with her own body while Siriya urges her father to shoot them both. Just before the gun fires, Ouan leaps in and takes the bullet meant for Preaw. Preaw then loses consciousness.
She wakes up in Thipchan’s arms. Sam-ang tells her that this woman is her real mother. Preaw asks about her father, but Ouan has already fulfilled his final duty as a father. Preaw is devastated.
At the train station, Inspector Chianchai comes to see Preaw off, accompanied by the villagers. As the train is about to leave, he gathers his courage, takes her hand, and tells her to come back soon, because this place—touching his heart—is territory exclusively owned by Preaw alone.
Several months later, Inspector Chianchai looks around the market. The villagers hurry to close their shops and run from something. Parents pull their children inside, and within seconds the market falls silent. Chianchai murmurs to himself, “I-Preaw Talad Taek…” Then Preaw’s voice answers from behind him. He turns and sees a lovely young woman in a pretty, stylish dress that suits her perfectly. Chianchai is stunned. He walks over and embraces her possessively. The sole owner of his heart’s territory has returned. The villagers emerge from hiding, cheering joyfully and giving Preaw a lively welcome—just as fitting for the return of everyone’s beloved “Preaw, the Market-Wrecker.”
Follow the drama “Preaw Talad Taek” on Channel 7, every Monday–Friday from 6:45–7:45 PM. The first episode aired on Friday, June 25, 2010.