Even though we call ourselves modern people, we’re still pretty shy about talking openly about self-pleasure, intimacy, and all those hush-hush topics. It’s almost like these things are forbidden, even though we take pride in saying our society has changed and become more accepting. So, imagine how things were back in the 1970s! Talking about these matters back then was even more taboo. People felt ashamed, hid their true identities, and avoided discussing their problems because they feared judgment. And it wasn’t just single folks—married people felt the same way about contraception or seeking advice. But in the middle of all this, there was one doctor and writer who stood out in Thailand—Doctor Nat, famously known as Doctor Climax. He became a guiding light in the dark for many. However, you can imagine how being so bold and talking openly about such sensitive issues in a society that preferred to keep them hidden had its consequences. People started to think that Doctor Climax was actually ruining society’s morals and putting bad ideas into people’s heads. Especially MP Pornchai, who was really not okay with it. He went as far as hiring Captain Poe, a perverted policeman, to go after Doctor Climax, find out his true identity, and put an end to his influence. So, what will happen to this daring doctor in the end? We’ll find out all about it in this explainer of Doctor Climax.
Spoilers Ahead
Why did Doctor Nat start writing in the Bangkok Express?
Doctor Nat was a venereal disease specialist in Thailand. People were fascinated by his job, thinking it must be exciting to look at people’s private parts and treat them. But for Doctor Nat, it was just about curing diseases in epithelial tissues, and to be honest, he found his job quite boring. Everyone had always expected him to follow in his father’s footsteps since his father, M.L. Kraiwut, was a famous surgeon in Thailand. So, he did just that. He lived with his mother and his wife, Tukta, and even in his married life, things were pretty bland—nothing exciting. Even though he talked to people about intimacy and how to improve it, he was disinterested in his own life. The only pleasure he got was from writing erotic stories. He wanted to be a writer, which is why he reached out to Thong Tien, who wrote for a newspaper called the Bangkok Express. The Bangkok Express was already competing with another newspaper, the Siam Bulletin. So, Tien had an idea. You know the saying “sex sells,” and people back then had many questions about these topics but couldn’t bring themselves to talk to anyone about it. Tien thought if Doctor Nat answered people’s queries in a column, they would get their answers—a kind of free sex education guide. Plus, Nat would get to write in the column and be the writer he always wanted to be. But Nat didn’t want to be just any kind of writer; he had some fantasies he wanted to fulfill in his writing. Then he met Linda, the art director at the newspaper office, and for him, it was lust at first sight. From then on, he was sure he would write for the Bangkok Express under the name Doctor Climax, a suggestion from Linda. This way, he could keep his identity hidden and talk about these matters more freely while working with Linda. It was a win-win situation for him and the newspaper because it immediately increased the newspaper’s sales.
Why did Pornchai want to bring an end to this column?
Although the paper was getting attention from all over, it was receiving very mixed reactions. I mean, it was to be expected, right? On one hand, the newspaper office was swarming with letters filled with all sorts of queries. But there were also people who were against this kind of exposure, thinking the Bangkok Express and Doctor Climax’s column were getting out of hand. They believed he was ruining society’s morals and thought this should be stopped. One of those people was MP Pornchai. Pornchai was a middle-aged man who couldn’t satisfy his own wife and was frustrated by the fact that even his own wife supported Doctor Climax and his advice. He started to think that this doctor was putting bad ideas into people’s heads, including his wife’s. Out of male ego and frustration, he wanted to stop this column. He sought help from a police captain named Captain Poe to investigate and reveal the identity of this secretive Doctor Climax and to finish this column once and for all.
Why did the Bangkok Express continue with the column?
Even after receiving all sorts of threats, the Bangkok Express continued with the column because it was succeeding in beating the Siam Bulletin. Plus, Doctor Climax was helping people with their bedroom problems, including the teenage son of the boss of the Bangkok Express, who had a problem with self-pleasure. The problem that arose at a young age was not just a problem for him but also for many across all ages. The solution that Doctor Climax provided not only saved the little teenage boy’s dignity but also made him confident. Initially, the boss was angry with the column and wanted to stop it, but he took the risk himself and decided to continue with the column. He hoped that others would also find a solution to their sexual problems, in the same way his son was saved.
How did Linda find out about Doctor Nat being married?
Even though Doctor Nat was leading a secret life as Doctor Climax, helping people with their deepest desires and problems, his own life was a mess. His married life with Tukta felt monotonous to him because he had married her out of necessity and didn’t love her at all. He even became intimate with her out of obligation, but despite his mother pressuring him to have a baby with Tukta, he was adamantly against it. How do we know this? Well, he would tell Tukta to take vitamins, but they were actually birth control pills because he didn’t want children with her. Poor Tukta was so gullible that she didn’t suspect a thing. She tried everything to excite him, even buying revealing clothes, but nothing seemed to work. How could it, when Doctor Nat was leading a double life? At the office, he was having a secret rendezvous with Linda, and he eventually fell in love with her. He couldn’t bring himself to tell Linda he was married because he was afraid of losing her. Besides, he thought he was just a passing fancy for Linda, so he didn’t take it seriously. Things got even more complicated when Mr. Pornchai and Captain Poe started hunting for Doctor Climax. They traced his location to his clinic. So naturally, Dr. Nat was warned to stay away from the newspaper office, and they’d send him the letters instead. This meant Doctor Nat couldn’t see Linda at work anymore, and he started missing her terribly. And it was the same for Linda as well. Maybe she was falling for him too? Then, one day, as Linda came to the clinic to meet Nat, Tukta showed up with lunch for his husband. They came face to face, and that’s when Linda realized Doctor Nat had been lying all along—he was married to Tukta! It was a dramatic moment of truth that changed everything. As secrets unraveled, hearts were broken, and Doctor Nat faced the consequences of his double life.
What happened to Sangjaan?
Back in the day, homosexuality seemed like a disease to everyone, and there were all sorts of myths about it. Some thought it could spread like a pandemic, while others believed anyone with those feelings should be shunned from society. Sangjaan, a gay fan of Doctor Climax wrote a letter about his problem. He confessed that he had been hiding his love for his boyfriend because his strict military father and family wouldn’t accept it. But Doctor Climax made a bold decision to give a reply to this question, knowing the backlash the newspaper would face, as people would think that Bangkok Express was promoting homosexuality, etc. He answered Sangjaan’s questions about homosexuality and told him it wasn’t a disease. He encouraged Sangjaan to take the risk and come out to his family. But as I told you, society wasn’t accepting back then. When Sangjaan’s family insisted he marry a girl of their choice, he bravely kissed his boyfriend in front of everyone to stop the wedding. Sadly, his father beat him up, and even his boyfriend and friends turned against him for coming out. Feeling disowned and desperate, Sangjaan followed Doctor Climax to the Bangkok Express office, intending to commit suicide in front of him. No matter how much Doctor Nat and Linda tried to stop him, Sangjaan wouldn’t listen. They pleaded with him, explaining that if he ended his life, people wouldn’t care—they’d think he was a disease and a blessing to be rid of. They urged him to live bravely and fight against society’s prejudices. Thankfully, Sangjaan didn’t harm himself, but in a tragic twist, Prompal, one of the workers at Bangkok Express, was accidentally shot. With Doctor Nat’s and Prompal’s help, Sangjaan was eventually released from jail after his arrest. Why did Doctor Nat decide to help Sangjaan? Because he knew what it was like to hide one’s true identity and be shamed for it—his own father was gay, and Nat never took the courage to stand up for him. This time, Doctor Nat chose to stand up for Sangjaan and be a better human being.
What happened to Thong Tien?
Pornchai and Captain Poe started to believe that Thong Tien was the real Doctor Climax. They saw him hanging out at swingers clubs, and with his rugged looks and manly vibe, they were convinced he was the one they needed to arrest to shut down the column for good! To track him down, they teamed up with a woman named Prelyn, who used to go to the swingers club with Tien. When Doctor Nat found out about this mess, he rushed to the club to save his friend, but it was too late. The police were already there, and though Nat managed to slip away and save himself, poor Tien got caught by Pornchai and Poe and thrown in jail. Luckily, he eventually got out because Pornchai wasn’t a real cop and didn’t have the right to interrogate or arrest him. But even though Tien got out of jail, he couldn’t escape the fallout at the Bangkok Express. Loitering around a swingers club was a big no-no for a writer at the prestigious newspaper, and it brought too much disgrace. So, they kicked him out of the office and fired him on the spot!
So, here’s how it all wrapped up! Doctor Climax finally revealed his identity because he couldn’t stand seeing his friend Tien get fired unfairly. He took a huge risk and faced the press, knowing there’d be backlash. First, he got Pornchai and Captain Poe in custody for their shady operations and spying on people. But the ending wasn’t all sunshine and rainbows. Doctor Nat’s love life was a mess! Linda ended up pregnant with his child, while Tukta was also pregnant—but not with Doctor Nat’s baby. She’d been having an affair because she couldn’t handle him being with Linda. Talk about drama! She was even willing to divorce him. Now everyone thinks Tukta’s baby is Doctor Nat’s, while Linda, who actually carries his child, considered having an abortion to spare Nat more trouble.
The “climax” of the series is filled with so much anticipation! Will Linda go through with the abortion? I think it is high time Doctor Nat steps up and takes responsibility for his actions. Maybe he doesn’t love Tukta, but he should give her a break and let her live her life by giving her a divorce. There’s so much uncertainty, especially with Linda’s ex, Khomson, back in the picture. Will he be cool with Doctor Nat and Linda being together? We’ll have to wait for the next season of Doctor Climax to get all the answers!
