First taste of Thai Series; Review of Roy Leh Sanae Rai

I'm now fascinated with watching video clips of Thai series Roy Leh Sanae Rai (2002) or 100 Trickery's Dangerous Passion and Luerd Kattiya (2003) or Destiny of a Princess.  These two shows are both top billed by Jesdaporn “Tik” Pholdee and Phiyada “Aom” Akkraseranee. Roy Leh Sanae Rai is the first ever Thai series I watched.  

Note: I don't know yet what's with RLSR's remake in 2015.  

Review of Roy Leh Sanae Rai (RLSR)

Observing the video qualities, fashion statements, and props (esp. old Nokia phone), I'm not surprised that  RLSR aired in 2002. Despite of this, the story and acting are still very effective to entertain me.

Trivia: Before 2002, the popular foreign shows in the Philippines were Mexican and Argentinian Telenovelas. In 2003 Taiwanese series Meteor Garden became huge hit here, and by 2004, Korean series  started to invade the local television programming.   Recently, GMA Network started to show Thai version of Princess Hours starring Sattaphong “Tao” Phiangphor and Ungsumalynn “Pattie” Sirapatsakmetha.  But I'm not watching it because I have work sched on its time-slot and I’m not fond of watching a remake. If I already watched the original and liked it, I stick to it ( the 2006 Korean Series Princess Hours).    

Going back to RLSR, the first thing that got my interest was Aom’s resemblance to Erich Gonzales. Then the Thai accent, the main actors/ characters, and flow story. Overall I like RLSR, the only things I don’t like in this series is the shouting parts of three characters (the auntie and two prostitutes). I can let go the amateurish acting  (because I don’t know if it’s how Thai usual gestures/ mannerism). And I tried to understand what the writer (s) and director (s) would like to emphasize on their loud personalities.  But it’s really annoying to here these three actors/ characters especially if they shout all at the same time.  They almost pulled down the good presentation of the show. But I just want to clarify it’s just the shouting parts that I don’t like.

( Trivia: Erich  Gonzales did  2012 movie Suddenly it's Magic with Thai actor Mario Maurer)

Hi Tik (Jesdaporn Pholdee)!  

Before RLSR, the only Thai actors I knew were Mario Maurer ( First Love / Crazy Little Thing Called Love), Chantavit Dhanasevi ( Hello Stranger), and Ananda Everingham ( Shutter),  who’s  look-a-like of  PioloPascual for me.   

Actually Tik’s face/aura is similar to most Filipino men because of his complexion and built (I just don’t know how tall he is).  But he’s packaging in RLSR made him look so handsome and lovable. The appeal is there!  I think it’s in the outfits, eyeglasses, hairdo, and muscles.  However his ultimate charm is his effective acting. Even most of the time he received punches and ran (after Aom’s Namnueng), you would feel his desire, jealousy, frustration, and regret in the entire series.  

And though the number of episodes of RLSR is limited to few episodes (if we compare to six months to almost four years run of most Filipino dramas), his Kongpop (sic) showed fluid transitions from being greedy lad to a passionate lover.

 Hello Phiyada “Aom” Akkraseranee!

I actually appreciated Aom more in Luerd Kattiya (LK), but I obviously started to like her in Roy Leh Sanae Rai. I like her versatility from being naive 20ish ordinary girl in RLSR to below 20 years old princess in LK.  Whoever did her makeups, outfits, hairstyles, etc  in LK, Kudos to you!  

If I’m not that impressed with Aom’s character in RLSR, I can say that her acting there was really relatable and effective. It came to a point that you would also hate, forgive, and love Kongpop because you sympathize with Namneung. That's how effective Aom is. 

On why Aom’s role wasn’t so outstanding, it's because that character is so ordinary in general.  It has the ingredients of cliche heroines – you know the "poor girl meets rich boy" and the "rugs to riches" story.  I couldn’t pinpoint what made Namneung special from the other lead female characters I saw before. Perhaps, she’s the only girl who’s brave enough to jump from the second’s floor window?  Or the one who can run in the seashore even she has wound?  

Roy Leh Sanae Rai introduced some Thai culture

For me, the good thing about watching foreign movies/ series is they can show a country's/people's culture. Honestly, I have very limited knowledge about Thailand.  Perhaps it’s just the tuk tuk, temples, “sawadikap,” night market, and other tips from travelers and bloggers.  Incidentally,  the Thai movies I watched before were not really good guides.  Shutter is a horror film, First Love is about school life, and Hello Stranger is about two young Thai  touring in South Korea.

In Roy Leh Sanae Rai, I get to know a little bit of  Thai wedding ceremony, law about marriage (conjugal properties/ divorce), businesses (harem), and day-to day lives.  RLSR also let me feel that Thai series/ culture is almost the same with Filipino series/ culture. I can relate straightaway.  I didn’t feel alienated the first time I watched Korean, Taiwanese, Japanese, and Chinese dramas. Perhaps, it’s rooted in different traditions, fashion, gestures, lifestyle, and more.  Surprisingly, I felt in RLSR that I’m just watching a local drama even I’m hearing words that I don’t understand (Thank you very much for the English subtitles!).

Minus again in shouting parts, I appreciate more the Thai language/accent through RLSR.  I find it amusing whenever the actors throw lines (especially whenever Kongpop explains and Neung is angry) that I just understand emotionally. In my ears, their accent is fusion of Kapampangan and Ilocano  with punch of Ilonggo dialects. It’s as appetizing and chewable as sweet tamarind candies (oh I like Moniegold hohoho!). I really like the way they pronounce Chermarn/ Laila Boonyasak’s character- Ponfah (Pon-Fa-ha)... Am I right that Thai showbiz/actors are conservative?  I didn’t see Aom and Tik  kissed literally.

 RSLR’s has ordinary story with exciting scenes

Given its cliché plot, the strengths of Roy Leh Sanae Rai’s story comes from its exciting scenes toward climax.  I like the idea that the two prostitutes (one is Suwatjanee Chaimusik) are the ones who helped to reveal the wrongdoings of Kongpop’s bad Auntie (Boom Runya Siyanon) and Ponfah (Laila Boonyasak). By the way, that's the only time I appreciated Suwatjanee Chaimusik’s shouting. 

Chemistry. At first I wasn’t sure if there's chemistry between Tik and Aom, but that changed especially when Kongpop dragged/abducted his wife from a condo and locked her to an isolated beachfront house. In reality that’s kidnapping (you should not force and lock someone even that someone is your wife). However, RLSR finely pointed out that radical action is what make the lead characters realize their love for each other. It looked romantic, particularly when Namnueng gave up, forgive, and admit her feelings.