The Ideal City (Mueang Kaeo)

“Phawanee Piyaromanee” (Paphawadee Chansamon) is a young woman who graduated in languages from France. She travels to Rattanaburi, a small town in a certain country, to fulfill her work-service obligation at the town’s girls’ school. With the look of a modern woman — confident, wearing short skirts, and sporting hair cut almost like a buzz cut — she becomes the subject of gossip from the very first day because of her boldness.
Phawanee needs to travel to the house of her uncle, “Amphan” (Nattanun Khunwat), the mayor of Rattanaburi, but there is no transport available. “Naksit” (Husswee Pakphongphaisan) happens to see her and, feeling sorry for her, offers her a ride. Phawanee accepts without hesitation, even though she is traveling with a complete stranger — a scruffy-looking man with a full beard who appears cold and unapproachable. Naksit is amazed and puzzled by her way of thinking. He warns her that walking around with him like this will surely make people gossip, because he has just gotten out of prison. However, he was imprisoned because he took the blame for “Nukun” (Premanan Sripanich), his trusted subordinate.
When Phawanee arrives in Rattanaburi, she quickly discovers many things that are wrong with the town but are treated as normal. These range from small everyday prejudices in how people judge one another, to corruption among the town’s most powerful figures. Because she cannot tolerate injustice, Phawanee rises up to challenge the town’s unfairness — from corruption in the school to opposing the relocation of the school outside town so that a department store can be built in its place.
Her constant resistance makes many teachers at the school dislike her, because she seems to oppose everything. The one exception is “Ajarn Ratee” (Nattarika Thampridanan), the school principal, who is reasonable enough to listen and best understands Phawanee’s intentions.
Phawanee refuses to turn her back on wrongdoing, even when that means clashing with her own uncle Amphan, who has a vested interest in these corrupt dealings. Some of what she does succeeds, and some of it fails. But fortunately, she has Naksit by her side — a man who once failed in his own fight against corruption in the government system and ended up in prison because of it. He gives her advice and becomes like the wind beneath her wings, encouraging her to keep fighting.
As events in the town grow more intense, the corruption among the governor, the mayor, and the town clerk becomes increasingly dangerous. Will Phawanee and Naksit be able to resist and fight for justice, as long as the people of the town continue to value money more than human worth?
The time of power systems and capital dominance is over — it is time to reform this city of corruption and restore hope once again.
Follow the story in “Mueang Kaeo” (Crystal City / The Glass City), airing every Wednesday and Thursday at 8:40 PM, beginning with its first episode on Wednesday, July 2, 2025, on Channel 7HD (TV channel 35). It was also promoted for live online viewing on BUGABOO.TV and Channel 7’s social platforms.