Not bad, even VERY good, but could have been better, especially when you compare to the original

So I watched the original after hearing about the reunion between Michael and Mookda (I loved their pairing in Mathurot Loghan, even though I didn’t really like the drama). And because I absolutely LOVED it, I had high expectations for this one, since it even included one of my favorite ships.
And overall, I was actually a bit disappointed… I wouldn’t say it was bad, it was even nice but this wasn’t epic, and it could have been much better.
The writing, setting was not very subtle, even sometimes vulgar. For example, Dao’s tricks and fights with Rosita and his family were mostly based physical or childish pranks, not using real wits (for example, the fight at the hospital : in 2011 when Dao knew Songkran was coming and pretended they had attacked her one-sided by stuffing flowers into her mouth in a smart move... but here, her « move » was a bit involontary as they were already holding her when Songkran came in without warning. Also, this made it much less funny.
The pacing was sometimes too fast : I mean, in the third episode, Songkran already fell in love for good with Dao because she saved his son... which is not very good to me, because I prefer when he gradually fell in love with her for her personnality
Also, Dao's seducing is less... subtle than in the 2011 version which is too bad because with Mookda's sex appeal, they could do much better.
The writers also made plenty of changes compared to the original that were unneeded, even annoying or cliche :
- Kran’s brother in law who became a vulgar, sexual molester who married his wife for money. This was useless to the plot, and that kind of character is very cliche (moreover, the actor always plays this kind of character). Compared to the original where the brother in law was a funny imbecile who made the viewer laugh very much, and even turned attaching when he comforted his nephew, this change was not needed.
-Jan’s character who became the annoying, jealous sister. She spent most of the drama crying over Songkran not loving her, even though she barely knew him, and even though it was obvious he was never sincere with her ; and during the last bit, she turned into a jealous b***. Again, compared to the original when she had gone through a great character development/growing, this is disappointing. It's quite a pity because I had loved her growth in the original, and seeing her bonding again with her father and grow more mature. Here, she's very selfish, self-centered, materialistic and shallow
-the ex-wife returning and causing troubles. SERIOUSLY, IS THERE ANY BIGGEST CLICHE ?!
-the nang rais. Again, they all had a good character development in the original and this is gone here. Rose’s final repentance which made her attaching to the viewer is gone and the actress isn’t great either, I remember that the previous actress succeeded in being funny and natural despite a difficult part (the usual mean girl), so the Rose who was actually a comical character and eventually attaching disappears here to become quite ridiculous (moreover, the costumes they gave her made her look like a 5-years-old kid and it was hard to think she was a model and Songkran’s ex-girlfriend) ; mad, delusional, crazy Marin who became a villain due to traumatic experiences turned into a jealous, seducing, mistress (the actress did a great job, though, no blaming on her) and nice Ingjan turned into a pathetic, self-pitying jealous brat and a useless, annoying nang Rai (I don’t even see why they felt the need to make her a villain only for a part of the last episode, since it didn’t even impact the plot). I also didn't like the fact that once again, rape is used as a trope to punish the nang rai, even before she did anything wrong, and the real trauma implied by rape was rape or the fact that this was what mlay have been her turning point was overlooked
- the villains received a different kind of karma here, that was again very cliche, even though it was satisfying (the adulterous couple of villains who end up with the main killed by his wife and the mistress disfigured by thrown acid by his wife ? Cliche. The cheated wife who was a bitch and ends up in prison after that ? Cliche. And the male lead’s evil family who loses their wealth and company in the hands of a traitor and repents after that ? Again, cliche).
- Most important point : the supporting characters receive much less screen time (some might as well be absent) and as I said and will repeat, are much less attaching, for many reasons. Modaeng and Ou’s chemistry is no longer here, and Gigi and Aoey barely exist and are uninteresting. We don’t feel any real development, especially in their relationships. Again, one of of the strongest points of the original was the supporting characters but they totally failed about this here
I know, I compare it a lot to the original. But even when you don’t compare it to the original, this isn’t that great. As I said, a lot of cliches and writing pretty vulgar, stereotypical.
However, don’t make me say what I didn’t say : this isn’t unwatchable, I personnally like it a lot and I think a lot will. This eventually makes you laugh. You are still touched by Songkran’s devoted love and efforts towards Dao (which is no less than in the original and even reserves a few surprises). Mookda and Michael’s chemistry is still there, which saves the whole drama. Most of the actors did a great job : I was surprised to see Mike’s talent for comic scenes and he’s still as good as always to play the man in love ; Mookda is so great when she plays a fierce and seducing woman, and even better to play the woman in love ; a great BRAVO also to the actress playing crazy Marin : she was so good at being a scary bitch 😂 !
Finally, seeing Songkran’s family receive their lesson and repenting was quite satisfying : I really liked how the drama focused on the importance of family love, showing that it overcomes love of money (the scenes with Dao’s family were very touching, despite annoying Ingjan ; Songkran’s family also turned touching in the end). Also, Dao’s bound with Orca, Songkran’s son, was especially moving, even more developed than in the original.
Also, the last episode is very satisfying for the fans of this ship but also for the fans of Mathurot Loghan : I couldn’t help but notice a few ironical winks to ML, as three actors reunited to here played a completely opposite yet symetrical situation to their characters in ML
-explanation/SPOILERS : Phutarit, who used to play the villainous foster father of Michael (Songkran here) in ML who absolutely wanted Michael to get Mookda (Dao here) pregnant to shame her ; in here, he acts as Dao’s doting father, a completely different character (so when you remember how his character would treat her in ML, it feels funny to see him act as her father who’s crazy about her) ; but here, when she eventually turns pregnant of Songkran, he is first despaired, being an overprotective father who doesn’t like his new son in law and this is quite funny when you know that pregnancy between the two actors’ characters was what his character wanted in ML 😂; I can’t help but think of it as a wink to Mathurot Loghan where the three actors used to play
By the way, also a great bravo to the actor who played Dao’s father. They played together in ML and he was so hateful to her and for the viewers ; here, it feels like a little revenge because he plays her doting father ; moreover, they had an incredible chemistry when acting as the father and daughter who were very close. The actor is great for every aspect of the character : the angry father towards irresponsible and selfish Jan, the doting father towards Dao who was so like him and caring towards him, the mad owner who got robbed, the funny, grumpy, playful old man you could only like, the father who would be despaired for his daughters when they would feel hurt
In short, this is far from being as good as the original but it’s still good, nice to watch for the two leads and touching scenes of the family.