Main cast: Pattaravadee Boonmeesup (Aei), Sutthirak Subvijitra (Nat), Nutthasit Kotimanuswanich (Best), and Parada Titawasira (Dao)
Director: Abhichoke Chandrasen
The Vow is a pretty compelling ghost story until I think about it closely. Then it falls apart.
Basically, a couple Aei and Nat have been together for a while. Naturally, Nat is talking about getting married, while Aei has behind her back submitted his portfolio to a Swedish company and is now wondering how to tell her that he has been accepted to work in Sweden.
They currently run an inn at a place called Black Hills, and they decide to go to the local goddess for some blessing.
Now, they are warned by the temple caretaker that the goddess isn’t some benign local legend, but rather, a vengeful woman that slayed her untrue paramour and his betrothed in a fit of righteous fury. This Black Hills Goddess has been known to force lovers to reveal their deepest secrets to one another, even if these secrets could tear them apart.
Yet, these two silly fools still decide to seek the Goddess’s blessing.
Needless to say, they are soon haunted by apparitions of the Goddess, who is creepy and all because this episode needs to be scary after all, forcing them to reveal their innermost secrets to the other person. Fun!
As I’ve mentioned, the episode is a decent one that tries to examine the consequences of too much honesty to a relationship, but the story doesn’t hold upon further reflection.
For example, why must they stay in Black Hills and run the inn? Why can’t Aei follow Nat to Sweden once he’s settled down in his job over there?
Aei wants to get married, but can’t they get married in Sweden? Is it some kind of Thai quirk that one has to marry in Thailand?
Why can’t Nat tell Aei about applying for a job in Sweden? Although, given how unhinged Aei gets at the thought they won’t be together forever in Thailand — forever — maybe I can’t blame him. Yet, if he’s that unhappy with running the inn with her, why not just see a relationship therapist or just break up?
In the end, the story ends up being about two emotionally immature people, with Aei especially having a distorted version of what a romance should be about. She sees their relationship as what he can do for her, what he can be to her… it’s all about her, in other words.
Meanwhile, Nat doesn’t seem able to deal with communication well and he also prioritizes himself over the two of them when it comes to things.
Both are really not compatible, no matter how much they imagine they are, so perhaps the Goddess is doing them a favor. Still, she could have just left them a note telling them to talk to a relationship therapist or take a break to think things over.
Anyway, this is far from a bad episode, but it could be executed better as well.
