Sapai Jao Sua

Sapai Jao Sua is a family romantic drama about the powerful Setthakitdechakul clan, whose strict patriarch tries to control his sons’ marriages — only to find that love has plans of its own.
At the center of the family is Jao Sua Thian, the powerful head of the Setthakitdechakul family and executive of Mai Thong Siam, one of Thailand’s leading producers of Thai silk. He is highly respected in business circles. His wife, Ah Liu, is still extraordinarily beautiful even though all four of their sons are already grown men.
Jao Sua Thian chooses Rueangrin, the talented actress daughter of an old friend who owns a film company, to become the wife of Traithep, his second son. Traithep cannot refuse the woman his father has chosen for him. But after marriage, Rueangrin never has time to fulfill her duties as a wife. Meanwhile, Traiphum, the third son, has learned Tai Chi from his father and becomes a favorite among elderly ladies when he teaches it every morning in the park. Jao Sua Thian also chooses Wanlapa, the daughter of a frozen-food business owner, as the third daughter-in-law.
Even after successfully arranging marriages for two sons, Jao Sua Thian is still dissatisfied. Traiphop, the eldest son, is overly philosophical and constantly quotes Chinese sayings and moral lessons until everyone around him becomes annoyed. He begs to be allowed to focus entirely on work in exchange for not being forced into marriage. Jao Sua Thian becomes furious and even suspects his son might be gay. Ah Liu secretly hires Sinse Weng, a fortune teller, to predict that if Traiphop marries, the family business will fall into chaos. Although Jao Sua Thian reluctantly accepts this, he still does not give up on finding a wife for him.
But his greatest concern is his youngest son, Traiwit, who refuses to follow the path his father has laid out for him. Dreaming of becoming a policeman, Traiwit secretly makes plans after finishing his law degree.
Traiwit quietly takes the police exam in a small district of Sakon Nakhon Province and there meets Fahsai, a beautiful Isaan village girl from Ban Bueng Nam Ngam, the daughter of Mr. Ming and Mrs. Thongsroi, who has graduated in agriculture. Fahsai’s constant companion is Mai, her mischievous younger relative who helps around the house. Intrigued by Fahsai, Traiwit hides the fact that he is a police officer. Fahsai and Mai believe his story and befriend him. Fahsai comes to trust and admire him — until one day she is humiliated to discover that he is actually Police Lieutenant Traiwit Setthakitdechakul. Furious, Fahsai and Mai team up to take revenge by teasing and tormenting him.
Still, closeness begins to grow between Traiwit and Fahsai, despite obstacles in the form of Phuyai Khong, an older widower, and Sia Hai, a flirtatious older man in the village, both of whom are interested in Fahsai.
Eventually, Chitchai tracks Traiwit down and Ah Lin is sent to bring him home. Traiwit decides to return, but hires Fahsai to pretend to be his wife so he will have a chance to leave home again later. At first Fahsai refuses, but when Traiwit tells her she can use the money to study for a master’s degree and also sell her silk to the company, and promises it will only be a legal registration on paper, she finally agrees.
Mai promises Fahsai that he will take care of Chao Namchok and Chao Namchai, the pair of chickens Traiwit received from grateful villagers, and will also look after Dao Rueang, Fahsai’s close friend who lives alone with her mother Phayom. Mai secretly has feelings for Dao Rueang. At the same time, Jao Sua Thian grows worried about the small lump in his brain — no larger than a mung bean — that has been causing frequent headaches. He and Ah Liu promise each other not to tell the children because they do not want them to worry.
When Jao Sua Thian discovers that Fahsai is merely a farmer’s daughter, he immediately tries to drive her out of the family. He agrees to let Traiwit come home with his wife only because he secretly plans to pair him instead with Ornicha, a modern and well-mannered young woman, the daughter of Jao Sua Lee and Mrs. Khemthong, owners of a famous electronics business. He has no idea that their company is actually in trouble and in need of help.
Traiwit eventually catches his father having a mistress. Horrified, Jao Sua Thian is forced into a bargain when Traiwit threatens to tell Ah Liu unless he stops mistreating Fahsai. When Fahsai’s parents come to visit, they are treated badly by Jao Sua, so Mai decides to stay with Fahsai to help her. Meanwhile, although Ornicha already has a boyfriend named Ohm, she becomes irritated by Mai’s constant interference whenever she gets too close to Traiwit.
Traiphop later visits Bueng Nam Ngam, where what interests him most is the villagers’ silk weaving — especially the intricate designs created by Dao Rueang, which he admires so much that he hires her to design patterns for Mai Thong Siam. Phayom agrees to let her go work with Traiphop despite her own poor health. At first, Jao Sua Thian firmly refuses to let Dao Rueang live under the same roof, but after seeing her talent he relents, making her the official designer for the company’s new silk collection.
Once in the house, Dao Rueang helps Fahsai with everything and cares for everyone in the family, especially Traiphop, until even Ah Liu begins to think she would make a perfect life partner for him.
Gradually, Jao Sua Thian himself begins to appreciate Fahsai and prepares to let her help at the company. But Rueangrin, still determined to get rid of Fahsai, continues framing her and creating situations that make her appear guilty in everyone’s eyes. Eventually Fahsai is driven out of the Setthakitdechakul home. Though she later manages to prove the truth, it seems too late when she learns that her former husband is trapped in a difficult situation involving a marriage to Ornicha.
Heartbroken, Fahsai runs back home. Traiphop invites Dao Rueang to Traiwit’s wedding, and Dao Rueang asks Fahsai to come with her. But just as the ceremony is about to begin, Pancake exposes the truth: Ornicha had set everything up to trap Traiwit into marrying her.
Jao Sua Thian and Ah Liu are overjoyed to realize they may welcome Fahsai back into the family after all. Once Traiwit and Fahsai finally reconcile, they formally ask for Fahsai’s hand in marriage for Traiwit.
And the family’s happiness grows even more when they are able to welcome yet another daughter-in-law into the clan — Dao Rueang, who finally agrees to become Traiphop’s proper wife.
Find out in “Sapai Jao Sua” (The Merchant Lord’s Daughter-in-Law), airing every Monday to Friday at 7:00 PM on Thai TV Channel 3, beginning with its first episode on Thursday, June 3, 2010.