Krong Kam
Krong Kam is a 2019 Thai TV drama that originally aired on Channel 3 starting from February 26 to April 30, 2019 for 19 episodes.
Synopsis
The whole story took place at Chum Saeng, Nakhon Sawan, in 1967. Yoi is a middle-aged Thai woman who married into a Thai-Chinese family. She vowed to personally see to it that her family of six honour the Beh ancestors. She amassed a fortune in family businesses that consist of a grocery and the grain store, a rice mill that her husband runs, and various farmlands and properties across Nakhon Sawan province. Yoi has a sharp tongue, a quick temper, and is notoriously frugal. She lives with her husband and their four sons. Everyone who knows her, whether in the family, the household, or the town of Chum Saeng, holds her in fear.One day, her eldest son, Chai, returns from the army with a pregnant prostitute Renu as his wife even though he already has a fiancée, Philai. Yoi rejects this and tries every possible way to make him leave Renu but fails. Unknown to her, Renu has performed black magic to tie her son's heart. She decided to marry her second son Tong to Philai to avoid shame even though he likes a worker named Chanta and also chooses to give Tong the house and store that she was supposed to give to her eldest. Her third son Sa is the kindest. He is handsome, smart and charming. When Yoi finds out he has feelings for Chanta, she worries he will imitate his eldest brother. She decided to have him marry Phiangphen, the daughter of a wealthy family from another subdistrict, unaware that Phiangphen's family was planning to have him marry her because she was already pregnant, in order to avoid shame. Phiangphen already had a lover, Kan, a poor young man who lived in a hut at the edge of the rice fields with his chronically ill mother. Despite the circumstances, their love for each other was strong. Even though Sa married Phiangphen, she never loved or treated him as a lover. Sa himself never violated her and remained faithful to his love for Chanta.
Later, Wanna, Renu's younger sister, traveled to Chum Saeng to visit her sister. By chance, she met Si Yoi's fourth son. He immediately fell in love with Wanna. Although he was a flirtatious young man with many girls following him, he truly loved Wanna.
Cast
Beh family
- Mai Charoenpura as Yoi
- * Nattacha Phosung as Yoi in her youth
- Prinn Wikran as Lakseng, Yoi's husband
- * Patiphan Mimang as Lakseng in his youth
- Children
- * Thakrit Tawanpong as Pathom "Chai" Atsawarungrueangkit, first son
- * Chanathip Phothongkam as Prasong "Tong" Atsawarungrueangkit, second son
- * Jirayu Tangsrisuk as Kamon "Sa" Atsawarungrueangkit, third son
- * Vachiravit Paisarnkulwong as Mongkhon "Si" Atsawarungrueangkit, fourth son
- Employees
- * Thunyaphat Pattarateerachaicharoen as Bunpluk, Yoi's employee and Tong's second wife
- * Atthaphon Thetthawong as Pom, Yoi's employee and Bunpluk's older brother
- Relatives
- * Chomchai Chatwilai as Lim, Lakseng's mother, murdered by Yoi
- * Ratklao Amaradit as Yaem, Yoi's younger sister, protagonist in the previous prequel
- ** Pornnapat Wongwiwat as Yaem in her youth
Renu's family
- Ranee Campen as Renu, raped by elder brother-in-law Dam, later first wife of Chai
- Sirintra Niyakorn as Rerai, mother of Renu, Saithong, and Wanna
- Sisters
- * Aerin Yuktadatta as Saithong, Renu's eldest sister
- * Rinrada Kaewbuasai as Wanna, Renu's younger sister and Si's love interest
- Visarut Hiranbuth as Dam, Saithong's husband
- Children
- * Pongtiwat Tangwancharoen as Pok, son of Renu and Dam
- ** Pakapol Tanpanich as Pok in his youth
- * Pakpuseth Chakornviroj as Pranot, son of Renu and Chai
- Fellow prostitutes
- * Arisara Wongchalee as Tim
- * Oijai Dan-esan as Pranom, in charge of prostitution house Lotus Bar
- * Thanchanok Hongthongkam as Wan
- Suchao Pongwilai as Kon, old shaman who assists Renu
Philai's family
- Pitchapa Phanthumchinda as Philai, Tong's first wife, originally girlfriend of Chai, Tong's elder brother
- Paweena Chariffsakul as Phikun, Philai's mother
- Chalad Na Songkhla as Choet, former employee at Philai's family
- Danai Jarujinda as Somdi, young shaman, Philai's second husband
Chanta's family
- Preeyakarn Jaikanta as Chanta, love interest of Tong, Sa, and Chinnakon; secret wife of Subin, Chinnakon's elder brother-in-law; eventually second wife of Sa
- Waraphan Nguitrakul as Mui Ni, Chanta's employer
- Orasa Isarankura na Ayudhya as Puai Huai, Mui Ni's grandmother
Phiangphen's family
- Oranate D. Caballes as Phiangphen, becoming Sa's first wife while pregnant with Kan
- Denkhun Ngamnet as Kan, Phiangphen's lover and husband
- Kasama Nitsaiphan as Village Chief Son, Phiangphen's father
- Prissana Klampinij as Somphon, Son's wife and Phiangphen's mother
- Janya Thanasawangkul as Si, Son's younger sister
- Natanee Sitthisaman as Raem, Son's servant
Other characters
- Sirinrat Vidhyaphum as Onphanni, Chai's second wife
- Karunchida Khumsuwan as Mala, Si's wife
- Natnari Chuwongwan as Kamala, daughter of Mala and Si
- Jitpanu Klomkaew as District Assistant Chief Chinnakon, Chanta's husband-to-be, eventually Wanna's husband
- Kosawis Piyasakulkaew as Subin, Chinnakon's brother-in-law and Chanta's secret husband
- Chotiros Kaewpinit as Krongkaeo, Chinnakon's older sister, Subin's wife
- Pawanrat Naksuriya as Mao, kluai khaek hawker
- Khakkingrak Khikkhiksaranang as A, gold shop's owner
- Nisachon Tuamsoongnuen as Bang-on, young woman who courts Kan
- Napat Chumjittri as Wang, Kan's friend, Bang-on's husband
- Khunkanich Koomkrong as Kun, Kan's ailing mother
- Phichet Iamchaona as Sit, a luk thung band manager
Production
Krong Kam is a prequel to another drama that had been popular on Channel 3 in 2015, Sud Kaen Saen Rak. Although the two dramas are not directly connected in terms of plot, they are set in the same province but in different districts and time periods. The villain protagonists of both stories, Yoi and Yaem, are portrayed as sisters. The author of the novel the series was based on, Chulamanee, admits that he used Chum Saeng, a part of his native province Nakhon Sawan, as the setting, hoping to attract more visitors to travel there, similar to many Korean drama series which showcase real locations to promote tourism. This is a comeback drama for singer Mai Charoenpura, who has not acted for years.Reception
When the drama aired, it quickly became popular. Fans and the general public traveled to Chum Saeng by train, turning this small town into a tourist destination. As of early 2021, it has been rerun thrice, with the ratings remain as good as its first broadcast.Viewership
In this table, represent the lowest ratings and represent the highest ratings.Awards and nominations
| Award | Category | Recipient | Result |
| Press Awards 2019 | Best performance | Mai Charoenpura | Won |
| Press Awards 2019 | Best supporting actor | Chanathip Phothongkam | Won |
| Press Awards 2019 | Best supporting actress | Arisara Wongchalee | Won |
| Press Awards 2019 | Best rising star | Thunyaphat Pattarateerachaicharoen | Won |
| Press Awards 2019 | Best original work | Chulamanee | Won |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best actor in leading role | Jirayu Tangsrisuk | Nomitated |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best actor in supporting role | Denkhun Ngamnet | Nomitated |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best actress in supporting role | Pitchapa Phanthumchinda | Nomitated |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best direction | Pongpat Wachirabunjong | Nomitated |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best theme song | "Phit Rue Thi Rak Thoe" | Nomitated |
| Asian Academy Creative Awards 2019 | Best drama series | Nomitated | |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best actress in leading role | Mai Charoenpura | Won |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best actor in leading role | Jirayu Tangsrisuk | Nomitated |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best actress in supporting role | Pitchapa Phanthumchinda | Nomitated |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best artistic composition | Nomitated | |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best direction | Pongpat Wachirabunjong | Won |
| 34th TV Gold Awards | Best screenplay | Yingyot Panya | Won |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best actress in leading role | Mai Charoenpura | Won |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best actress in leading role | Ranee Campen | Nomitated |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best actor in leading role | Jirayu Tangsrisuk | Nomitated |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best actor in supporting role | Chanathip Phothongkam | Nomitated |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best actress in supporting role | Pitchapa Phanthumchinda | Won |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best direction | Pongpat Wachirabunjong | Won |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best television drama | Won | |
| 16th Kom Chad Luek Awards | Best screenplay | Yingyot Panya | Won |