Tawan Ban Tung

During a summer break over ten years ago, Panrawee's parents took her to visit her mother's hometown. While at a temple with her mother, Panrawee saw Khem, a young boy, crying because his grandmother had just passed away. Khem was an orphan. Panrawee offered him some "Khanom Ko" (a traditional white sugar cake), but Khem, consumed by grief, swatted it away. Later, Panrawee learned from the abbot that Khem actually loved Khanom Ko. The next day, she returned to the temple and offered him the snack again. Khem chased her away, but Panrawee didn't give up. She brought him Khanom Ko every day until Khem, feeling guilty, finally accepted it. They became playmates, but Panrawee's father disapproved of his daughter playing with a "temple boy" and forbade her from seeing him. After that summer, Khem never saw the kind, cute little girl again. Panrawee became Khem's childhood love, a memory etched deep in his heart.
Years later, Khemrat or Khem (Kiatkamol Lata), now an agricultural extension scholar for the sub-district, remembers Dr. Panrawee (Sunisa Jett), but she does not recognize "P'Khem" from her childhood. Khem frequently visits the hospital and volunteers to escort Panrawee around, claiming it is to protect her from Kamnan Samniang (Sub-district Headman Samniang), who has been harassing her. However, his main reason is that he wants to be close to her, especially since a handsome young doctor named Dr. Isara (Pakorn Thanasrivanitchai) also has feelings for her.
During a campaign for the headman election, Kamnan Samniang suffers severe abdominal pain and is rushed to the hospital. Panrawee diagnoses him with a ruptured appendix requiring immediate surgery. Unfortunately, Kamnan Samniang suffers a fatal heart attack after the operation. Despite Panrawee's efforts to resuscitate him, he dies. Although the nurses confirm it was a sudden heart attack, Sanong (Chokchai Boonworametee), the Kamnan's son, is convinced Panrawee intentionally killed his father due to their past conflicts. The hospital director tries to persuade Sanong to allow an autopsy, but he refuses. Rumors spread throughout the sub-district that "Doctor Pan killed the Kamnan," causing villagers to boycott her. The director has no choice but to suspend Panrawee until the truth is revealed.
Panrawee returns to Bangkok, afraid to tell her parents about the suspension. Khem visits her, pretending he has business in town, and meets Bowon (Trin Saetachock), Panrawee's father. Bowon recognizes Khem as the temple boy who once "led his daughter astray" and is unwelcoming. Panrawee argues with her father, who fails to understand her ideology of being a rural doctor.
Panrawee retreats to stay with Aunt Taptao (Apiradee Pawaputanon), a tough woman who runs a local music band, "Siang Suphan." Sanong and his goons loiter outside but dare not enter. Jan (Suangsuda Lawanprasert), Aunt Taptao's employee, prepares a room for Panrawee but eyes her with hatred. Jan's daughter, Jitta (Sukhontawa Kerdnimit), is jealous of Panrawee and constantly makes sarcastic remarks. Aunt Taptao’s band has been struggling due to a lack of a female singer. Hearing Panrawee singing beautifully, Aunt Taptao asks her to help. Panrawee agrees, as singing is her other talent.
Yadpirun (Mira Komolvanich), the lead dancer, teaches Panrawee to dance, and she learns quickly. Captain Danudet (Pramanat Suwannanon), a police officer who knows Aunt Taptao well, uses his connections to book the band for events, using the "beautiful doctor singer" as a selling point.
Aunt Taptao encourages Khem to pursue Panrawee because, over a decade ago, the abbot predicted they were soulmates. The abbot had foreseen that if they were separated or married others, both would face grave misfortune. This prediction stemmed from an incident where young Khem saved Panrawee from drowning, which was why her father didn't punish him severely back then.
The hospital director refuses to jail Panrawee as Sanong demands. Frustrated, Sanong resorts to vigilante tactics. He sends his sister, Sano (Tatchada Phew-on), to join Aunt Taptao's band as a spy, pretending to want peace. Sano is ordered to lure Panrawee into a trap for Sanong to attack her. However, Aunt Taptao protects Panrawee fiercely.
Panrawee notices Khem's absence and visits him with Captain Danudet. She finds him driving a tractor, preparing soil for rice farming. Khem has left his government job to become a farmer, aiming to prove that chemical-free farming yields good results. Aunt Taptao calls him crazy for leaving a stable salary for debt-ridden farming. Khem argues that farmers are in debt due to middlemen and high chemical costs. He aims to break this cycle by establishing a "Rice Market" and encouraging farmers to register and sell directly. Panrawee and the band help promote this initiative. Sanong threatens villagers not to register, and Khem is beaten up and hospitalized. Panrawee cares for him, and Khem enjoys the attention.
Intu-on (Caroline Emma Springett), a famous actress and daughter of Professor Sompot (Sommart Praihirun), Khem’s former professor, visits Khem, causing a stir. It turns out she is Khem's fiancée. Panrawee is disappointed that Khem pursued her while being engaged.
At a district party, Panrawee freezes on stage, forgetting lyrics. Khem steps up, garlands her, and asks, "Who is P'Khem's brave girl?" This triggers Panrawee’s memory of the boy who taught her to swim and ride a bicycle using the same phrase. She replies, "It's Pan, P'Khem's brave girl." Realizing Khem is her childhood friend, she gains confidence and performs beautifully. The band is back in business.
Sanong attempts to assault Panrawee for revenge, but Khem and Captain Danudet save her. Danudet assigns police protection for her. Khem gets jealous of Danudet until he learns the Captain is actually courting Yadpirun, with Panrawee playing matchmaker. However, Yadpirun's parents hate Danudet because he arrested her brother for drug trafficking. Panrawee helps Yadpirun understand that the Captain was just doing his duty.
Harvest season arrives. Khem’s chemical-free rice yields high profits, proving his methods work. He opens a "Farmer's School" to teach organic farming. Sanong, losing profit from fertilizer sales, raises land rents to exorbitant rates. Khem uses his savings to start a "Rice Farmer Cooperative" to buy back the land. Panrawee organizes a charity concert, "Lung Su Fah Na Su Din" (Back to the Sky, Face to the Soil), raising enough money to buy the land back from Sanong. Facing these obstacles together deepens the bond between Panrawee and Khem, though Panrawee remains hesitant due to Khem's engagement.
Jan reveals a shocking secret to Jitta: her real father is Bowon, Panrawee's father. Bowon had an affair with Jan shortly after marrying Panrawee's mother but refused to accept the child. Enraged, Jitta steals Danudet's gun to shoot Panrawee. Bowon steps in front of the bullet, begging the sisters not to kill each other, admitting he is the one at fault. Jitta tries to commit suicide, but Danudet disarms her. She suffers a mental breakdown and is institutionalized. Panrawee forgives her half-sister.
Sanong squanders the money from the land sale on gambling. Enraged by Khem's success, he burns down the Farmer's School but is implicated by his own henchmen and arrested by Danudet.
Panrawee returns to community health visits but is shunned by villagers who still believe she is a killer. Khem encourages her. While conducting health checks at the prison, Panrawee finds Sanong suffering from chronic tuberculosis caused by years of inhaling chemical fertilizers. While others are disgusted by him, Panrawee treats him with care.
Sanong finally allows an autopsy of his father, which confirms death by heart failure, clearing Panrawee's name. Sanong thanks her and urges her to stay in Suphan Buri to treat the poor. Villagers return to seek her treatment.
Captain Danudet wins over Yadpirun's parents. Intu-on falls for Dr. Isara's goodness, forgetting Khem. Bowon, seeing Khem's dedication, gives his blessing. Khem proposes, and Panrawee accepts.
However, Panrawee learns about the abbot's prophecy and fears Khem only wants to marry her to avoid bad luck. She runs away. Khem finds her and shows her an old Khanom Ko wrapper from their childhood. On it, he had written: "Pan, the good girl, must be my bride." He tells her she is his childhood love and his only love, prophecy or not. Panrawee is touched, and they embrace.
The love between the doctor and the agricultural scholar finally blooms in the fields of Suphan Buri.
Follow "Tawan Ban Tung" every Monday - Friday at 6:45 PM - 8:00 PM on Thai TV3. The drama premieres on Thursday, August 22, 2013.