Chai

**Chai** is an employee of Pran's Dad and Ming's former employee. He is friendly with both Pat and Pran. He appears in Episodes 1, 3, and 10. He is mentioned in Episode 12. Sometime prior to the events of Episode 10, he and his wife are pregnant; by Episode 12, they have a child who Pran's parents have met. He is occasionally seen at Pran's family home, likely due to the nature of him working at a family business.

He is portrayed by Gap Thanavate Siriwattanakul.

## History

### Prior to the events of *Bad Buddy*

Chai used to work for Ming, and used to take care of one of his company accounts. Sometime prior to Pat and Pran's birth, he witnessed Ming offer a "very good deal" with a supplier in China, and could offer a better price than Pran's dad, thus outbidding him. He states that he later had a "small problem" with Ming and resigned. During the economic downturn he found it difficult to get a new job, so Pran's dad stepped in to help him.

Both Pat and Pran were given a different version of events: that Pran's parents had bought Chai out from Ming to work with him, so Ming had bid-rigged him against some suppliers in retaliation.

### Episode 1

In Episode 1, we see a flashback of Chai giving Ming a wai in goodbye along with a couple of other men, then stepping over several feet to join Pran's dad's business. When Ming calls his friends on the phone for assistance, both Pran's Dad and Chai are seen staring at him.

### Episode 3

In Episode 3, Chai is first spotted by Pat outside the music store, who goes to push Pran behind some amplifiers for them to hide. Chai is shopping with his wife, and asks her if he can get a new guitar. When she asks him which one, he points at it, to which she responds, "Let's go, we've talked about this." Nevertheless, he attempts to double back and presumably stare at the guitar some more. His wife tells him, "I know you like it. But we discussed this. Let's go."

Later, it is revealed that he did in fact see Pat and Pran together in the music store.

### Episode 10

In the beginning of Episode 10, he witnesses Pat attempting to poke Pran's dimple to tease him. He greets Pat politely, and tells Pran that his mother is waiting for him at the dining table. He watches Pran come back inside and nods at Pat again, before returning as well.

Sometime later, Chai and his very pregnant wife visit the hospital. Both witness Pat and Pran teasing each other and being very physically affectionate with each other in the hospital lobby. Chai, Pat, and Pran go to the hospital's roof to talk, where Pat reveals to Chai that they are dating. Chai nods, but is not surprised—as he tells Pat and Pran, he "took the hint" after he saw Pat and Pran in the music store, and earlier when he saw Pat poking Pran's dimple. He reaches the correct conclusion that their parents do not know, but Pat, from believing the story their parents had told them, asks Chai, "And you're the cause of their conflict, right?"

Pran berates him, but Chai is confused and asks how. Pat tells Chai the version of the events that he, Pran, and Pa had been told—that Chai went to work with Pran's family, which started the feud. Chai clarifies, saying he did have a problem with Pat's dad, but left of his own volition before Pran's dad helped him. When Pran asks for clarification on the bid-rigging, Chai explains that Ming simply had a good deal with a supplier from China and could offer a better price. "I took care of that account. I know," Chai says.

When Pat and Pran deliberate over there being a misunderstanding for the feud, Chai points out that their parents know all of this information, to which Pat and Pran are genuinely surprised. The three ponder the reason why Pat and Pran's parents hate each other so much—Chai says he does not know the reason, but that "....they hate each other's guts. I don't think it's just business." However, he expresses that he is glad that despite the parents' feud, their children are able to get along. "I think one day, things will get better," he offers to Pat and Pran, to which Pat says, "I hope so too."

A second or so later, Pat asks after Chai's wife. Chai says that he will call her, but after shuffling around in his pockets, realizes he left his phone with her. The three of them share a laugh.

### Episode 12

Some days before Pran's return to Singapore, Chai visits Dissaya and her husband and gifts them some fresh mangoes. Pran asks after him, and Dissaya tells him that Chai is doing great, and that his kid is adorable. She expresses that it's a shame Pran didn't get to meet with them then.