Chokanan Skultham's Thai drama thriller, Eternal Bond, is set during the Japanese invasion of Thailand. At the center of the drama are Jinta and Tharin, two locals from Prachin Buri who were unaware of their connection to the Naga world. As a young woman, Jinta was sent to Bangkok to study. In her hometown, she was accused of killing her mother during childbirth. Jinta and her brother, Jira, shared a romantic relationship. Upon returning home, her maternal grandmother was disappointed to see her and made it clear that her inheritance would only go to Jira. Her father made no attempt to defend her, and the only person who seemed to understand Jinta's pain was her aunt Sonklin.
The family owned a rice mill founded by Jinta's grandfather, Lord Pom. After becoming bedridden, Pranot, his son-in-law and Jinta's father, was appointed manager of the mill. Lord Pom's wife, Madam Thongkham, doted on Jira (her daughter's eldest child) and, like everyone else, blamed Jinta for her death. Dealing with hatred wasn't easy for Jinta, and things became even more complicated when members of his family began to fall dead, one after another.
Director: Chokanan Skultham
Writer: Manachaya Panitsarn
Stars: James Ma, Sinjai Plengpanich, An Oliver Poupart
Tharin was an active member of the anti-Japanese movement, and as an employee of the P. Panich Rice Mill, he learned that the Japanese army was planning to store medical supplies in the mill's warehouse. He and his fellow rebels planned to steal the supplies, and while the task itself was crucial, his life became even more difficult when a voice began to guide him. The voice told him to protect Anyarin, and although he didn't know who it was, he soon discovered a connection between Anyarin and Jinta.
He had only recently met Jinta and immediately sensed they had a greater purpose to fulfill. The night Jinta's grandfather, Lord Pom, died, Jinta and Tharin were transported to an alternate reality. They were chased by a gigantic naga into the depths of the sea. But to their surprise, when they opened their eyes, they realized they were in their own chambers. Tharin had believed it was nothing more than a vivid dream, until Jinta revealed that he not only remembered it, but also had a snake scale as proof that it had really happened. At that moment, Tharin realized the world was much bigger than he had ever imagined.
Gradually, we discover that Aunt Sonklin was responsible for the deaths of Pom, Thongkam, Pranot, and Jira. Sonklin harbored a deep resentment toward those around her. She was adopted by Pom and Thongkam as a child, but as soon as they had their own daughter, they began to abuse her. Pom sexually abused Sonklin repeatedly, and although Thongkam knew, she remained silent. When Sonklin became pregnant (possibly with Pom's child), her mother forced her to have an abortion and accused her of being a woman without character.
Pranot was the only person Sonklin believed she connected with on a deeper level, but even he betrayed her. Sonklin had assumed Pranot would marry her, but instead chose her sister. Despite being hurt time and again, she continued to silently serve her family. But her life changed drastically after Nilarujee's soul took over her body. Nilarujee was a vengeful naga who had also experienced unrequited love and betrayal. She was rescued by the naga prince Phetpattara from King Garuda, and from then on, she was completely fascinated by him. She had come to the mortal world to seek revenge on the woman who had won the heart of Prince Phetpattara, the love of her life. She planned to achieve her goal through Sonklin.
Soul and body had no conflict; After all, Sonklin had always wanted to see those who had hurt her suffer, and Nilarujee helped her feel confident enough to kill those who had caused her pain. Sonklin killed all her family members because she believed they deserved it. She tried to frame Jinta for the murders, but her plan failed. Tharin remembered the scar on the hand of the man who killed the Japanese sergeant and also Jira. When she drew the scar on the killer's hand, Pranot recognized it immediately: she knew it was Sonklin. She showed no remorse when he confronted her, and ended up killing him and hanging his body from the roof of the rice mill.
The ending of Eternal Bond revealed that there was a spiritual connection between Jinta and Anyarin. Jinta was possibly the mortal reincarnation of Princess Anyarin, and that's why Nilarujee tracked her down. He knew that the Naga prince would only reveal himself if he subjected Anyarin (in this case, Jinta) to torture. In the Naga world, when Prince Phetpattara went off to war, Nilarujee targeted Anyarin.
Just as the rebels were cornered by the Japanese army, Tharin felt a strong urge to flee his secret hiding place and rescue Jinta. The voice in his head grew louder, and it was impossible to contain it. Tharin sensed that Jinta (Anyarin) was in trouble, and his sixth sense told him where she was. While at first it seemed that Tharin was the reincarnation (or at least had a spiritual connection) of the Naga Prince, at the end of The Eternal Bond, we discover that Tharin was the unborn son of Princess Anyarin and Prince Phetpattara.
This explained his connection to Jinta and why he felt a desperate need to always protect her. They never had the chance to meet in the Naga world, but he was determined to save her in the mortal world. As Prince Phetpattara and Princess Nilarujee (in their naga forms) fought, Tharin attempted to heal Jinta's wounds. Nilarujee slithered and wrapped her body (in naga form) around Anyarin. She tightened her grip, and Anyarin (Jinta) screamed in pain. Tharin repeatedly shot at Nilarujee, but the bullets were ineffective.
Blood began to ooze from Anyarin (Jinta)'s body as the sharp ridges on her body pierced her skin. Prince Phetpattara came to her rescue and eventually overpowered Nilarujee. Nilarujee was mortally wounded, but before succumbing to her injuries, she reminded the prince that Anyarin (Jinta) did not remember him in the mortal world, suggesting that her memories were erased and hatred triumphed over love. But she remembered him, and still hoped that one day the prince would love her too. Tharin was finally reunited with his father, overcome with emotion, his eyes filling with tears, knowing deep down that his mother, Anyarin (Jinta), would not survive. The prince was devastated; he wondered why it was always Anyarin who was punished. He wished he had been the target instead of her.
The naga prince became sentimental when Anyarin recognized him and begged him to be freed from a fate he could not change. He was repeatedly reminded that they were not destined to be together for eternity, and it broke his heart to know that his son had to suffer because of the karmic bonds she had created. After Jinta's passing, Tharin scattered his ashes in a lake. The Japanese army finally abandoned Prachin Buri and relocated their outposts. And although the battle for liberation was far from over, the locals finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The ending of Eternal Bond suggests that Tharin had chosen a life of devotion over material pleasures. During his ordination, when asked to confirm whether he was a human being, Tharin was slow to answer. With a faint smile, he assured the monks that he was indeed human. In the post-credits scene, Prince Phetpattara announced that he would dedicate himself to humanity and break the eternal bond between himself and Nilarujee to protect Anyarin. He hoped his good deeds would reach her and that she would find peace wherever her soul lay. He wished that his son would find the strength to free himself from the chains that once bound him. The fact that Tharin chose to become a monk suggests that he will break the cycle of destiny. At the end of the film, we are told that the eternal love between Prince Phetpattara and Princess Anyarin still holds great significance in the world of the Nagas.
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