Ruean Lom Rak

Baan Chattrakan, a beautiful traditional Thai house where Lomduan (Fonthip Watcharatrakul) has lived in the same compound since childhood, is about to be seized. This is because Madam Linda (Dr. Pattamakha Sukonthaman) allowed her good-for-nothing son-in-law, Kanlong (Panyapol Dechsong), to mortgage the title deed to Tycoon Tharin (Klot Atthaseri), a greedy and ruthless moneylender. Kanlong used the money to invest in a pub, following the pleas of Leelawadee (Ware Sow), Linda's widowed daughter, who is blindly infatuated with her younger husband. However, both the daughter and son-in-law failed to pay the principal and interest as promised.
Even though Lomduan is considered an heir to the Chattrakan family, she was never raised as well as Panchat (Nattawara Hongsuwan), Leelawadee's daughter. This is because Madam Linda was furious with Anon (Jessada Rungsakorn), her youngest son, for taking Duangdao (Chatchadaporn Thananta), a maid in the house, as his wife. Lomduan had to live like a mere resident at "Ruan Lom Rak" (House Surrounded by Love), a small house her father built to live with his wife and child. After her parents passed away early, Lomduan had to struggle to earn a living and fund her education, supported by Paew-Waew (Karuna Morris), a longtime maid, and Manpai (Tharapha Kongthong), her college friend.
Taentawan (Kantapong Bamrungrak), the beloved and only son of Tycoon Tharin, is sent to practice debt collection from defaulting debtors, with Phongthawee or "Go Phong" (Prab Yuttapichai) as his mentor. However, Taentawan never succeeds even once, including with the debtors at Baan Chattrakan, because he has a kind and compassionate heart, unlike his father.
Lomduan is chased by city inspectors while selling goods on the footpath and runs to hide in Taentawan's unlocked car. When she hastily gets out, she drops her textbook. Taentawan returns it to her and can't help but wonder why she has to work to support herself when she is a descendant of the Chattrakan family.
Taentawan seizes an opportunity when Yaowaluck (Tharinda Kannasoot), his aunt who loves him like a son, gets angry at his father for showing jealousy toward Niphon (Thanyawisit Siangwaan), a private cooking instructor hired at their home. Taentawan tells his father that if he wants to appease her, he must postpone the seizure of Baan Chattrakan. Taentawan delivers the good news to Lomduan, relieving everyone. However, Lomduan works even harder to earn money to help her grandmother redeem the house.
Phinnaree (Bandita Thanawiset), a famous model-actress, is furious that the tycoon forbade her from dating his son. She leaks intimate photos of herself with Taentawan to the press. Furious, the tycoon hires Lomduan to be Taentawan's fake girlfriend. He knows Lomduan because Phongthawee once accidentally hit her with a car, and the tycoon liked her straightforward, money-savvy attitude, unaware that she is a Chattrakan descendant. Lomduan accepts the job because it pays well and comes with a strict contract ensuring she won't be disadvantaged, using her law studies to keep everything tight. Taentawan is thrilled to learn that Lomduan is the woman his father hired. When Madam Linda finds out from Leelawadee, she scolds Lomduan for ruining the family's reputation and expresses her distaste for using her granddaughter to pay off debt.
When the deadline arrives, Baan Chattrakan must be seized according to the contract, as Kanlong and Leelawadee have no money to redeem it. Madam Linda is forced to ask Lomduan, the "black sheep" granddaughter, to work off the debt for one year, as suggested by Taentawan. Lomduan agrees because she doesn't want the house to fall into someone else's hands. However, she demands that Taentawan legally marry her to protect what little honor she has left, promising to sign divorce papers and walk away with nothing when the contract ends.
The tycoon is shocked to discover that the girl he hired as a fake girlfriend is Madam Linda's debt-paying granddaughter. He tries to kick her out, but she refuses, insisting on following the contract, which also grants her a job in the company's legal department. Yaowaluck supports Lomduan because she loves and adores her, making the tycoon hesitant to object since he secretly loves his sister-in-law. Not giving up easily, the tycoon bullies Lomduan by making her do servant's chores and sending her on impossible eviction or debt collection tasks, hoping to indirectly force her to quit and void the contract. But Lomduan miraculously succeeds at everything, even as the tycoon has his driver, Ma Moen (Kamin Chernyim), spy on Taentawan and Lomduan.
Theera (Jejintai Antimanoon), Kanlong, and Phinnaree conspire to find a buyer for Baan Chattrakan. They have Phinnaree snoop for the tycoon's business secrets, as she also wants to snag Taentawan. Meanwhile, Madam Linda, realizing her son-in-law's wickedness, refuses to help Leelawadee with money anymore. Manpai learns about Theera and Kanlong's plan to sell the house and warns Lomduan. Taentawan tries hard to win Lomduan's heart, but she closes herself off, believing she is merely a woman paying off a debt.
Lomduan decides to bring Panchat to live at the tycoon's house because she has no other choice. Otherwise, Panchat would be forced by Kanlong to make money by posing for nude magazines, which would bring shame and distress to their grandmother. At the tycoon's house, Panchat is insulted for being a nude model and is forced to do chores like a servant, as Paew-Waew insists everyone must pitch in. When Panchat finds an opportunity, she sneaks into Taentawan's room. Caught by the tycoon, she is immediately kicked out. Returning to Baan Chattrakan, Panchat is nearly raped by Kanlong while Madam Linda and Leelawadee are away observing precepts at a temple. Fortunately, Lomduan arrives in time to save her. This makes Panchat and Kratae (Thinyada Charoenrat), Leelawadee's maid, finally see Lomduan's goodness and Kanlong's evil nature. However, Panchat refuses to press charges because she doesn't want to break her mother and grandmother's hearts.
Kanlong, Theera, and Phinnaree plot to kidnap the tycoon for a 50 million baht ransom to redeem Baan Chattrakan and split the rest. But Kanlong leaks the secret, allowing Taentawan and Lomduan to successfully rescue the tycoon. Lomduan begs the tycoon not to press charges against Kanlong to protect the Chattrakan family's reputation. The tycoon agrees, but in exchange, he demands that Lomduan leave Taentawan's life. Lomduan agrees and returns to Ruan Lom Rak, opening her own law firm with Manpai and Panchat working alongside her.
Taentawan tries to help Lomduan with genuine love, but she rejects him despite her true feelings and tears up their marriage certificate, breaking his heart. Still, Taentawan doesn't give up on winning her over. Furious, the tycoon rashly disinherits Taentawan, thinking his son can't survive on his own. Heartbroken, Taentawan leaves the grand mansion without taking a single asset.
Taentawan and Niphon partner up to open a grilled meatball stall, supported by Lomduan. They strategize to get the story in the newspapers, making the "Tycoon Heir's Grilled Meatballs" famous. Seeing Taentawan disinherited, the money-hungry Phinnaree shifts her target to the tycoon, but a jealous Yaowaluck chases her out of the mansion. Meanwhile, Lomduan prepares to buy a new house, knowing she definitely cannot raise enough money to redeem Baan Chattrakan.
On the day Baan Chattrakan is to be seized, the tycoon arrives to proudly declare his ownership. But as he walks down the stairs, he suddenly falls and becomes paralyzed. Taentawan has to return to care for him out of filial piety, causing him to drift apart from Lomduan. Meanwhile, Kanlong pretends to be good to Leelawadee to manipulate her into begging Madam Linda to sign the house sale papers. When she fails, an angry Kanlong attacks her. Instead of seeing the truth—even after Panchat's warnings—Leelawadee believes Panchat has sided with Lomduan to frame Kanlong. She trusts no one but herself. Emboldened, Kanlong continues living arrogantly in the house. When he gets the chance, he attempts to rape Panchat again. However, his luck runs out when Leelawadee walks in. To protect her daughter, she kills Kanlong. Lomduan steps in as her defense lawyer, successfully getting Leelawadee acquitted of manslaughter. With Kanlong gone, everyone in the Chattrakan family finds happiness again and prepares to live together in their new home.
When true love is priced in gold and a good heart is overlooked due to prejudice, what can overcome Tycoon Tharin's blind heart? Will Lomduan's dreams ever come true? Will "Ruan Lom Rak," the house once filled with warmth and her parents' memories, be forever out of reach for an orphan like her?
Follow the answers and root for the cross-class true love between Lomduan and Taentawan in the drama "Ruan Lom Rak" (House Surrounded by Love), airing every day at 6:40 PM on Channel 7. Premieres Saturday, September 17, 2011.