Opened last summer, Talad Rod Fai (the train market) has quickly become the new beloved weekend night market and an essential spot for vintage shoppers. Located on Kampangpetch Road, not too far from MRT Kampangpetch, Talad Rot Fai’s many stalls offer fashion, décor, toys and more, but unlike its older brother, Ratchada Night Market, Rod Fai Market has a more casual vibe and isn’t quite as packed. And even if you’re into buying secondhand stuff, you can still stroll the stalls with friends, sipping some cold drinks or snacking on some food and just enjoying the evening breeze and old school music.

In the wide open space available, most of the products are laid out on the ground or are hanging off the owners’ retro cars. Used clothes in good condition or even brand names start from as little as B100. Accessories like sunglasses and vintage suitcases start from B2,500. There are also some unsual finds that you never knew you even wanted, like 20-year-old knives for B29, American license plates from various states, a B300 baseball bat in different colors, an odd B50 cylinder-shaped carton that was used as a paracetamol container and even toothpaste and soaps from decades past. And if you love collecting merchandise from brands like Coke, Pepsi or Heineken, there are plenty to choose from. Mechanic tools, vehicle spare parts, 70s cars and bicycles are all available as well.

Not all this junk is just for decoration though. Rot Fai Market is full of old gadgets like fans, radios, telephones and film cameras from when you were still in kindergarten. And the shops in the old train warehouse are full of 70s-90s furniture: sofas, chandeliers, dining tables, and sets of china and even barber shop chairs—everything you need to open your own retro bar.

And if that gets you hungry and thirsty, try grabbing a cup of foamy Thai iced tea, vintage style soda and cocktails at one of the garage-style bars. Or take a seat on the wooden platform near the railway at the back of the market to grab a bite.

Kampaengpetch Rd., 081-920-3972. MRT Kamphaengphet. Open Sat-Sun 4pm-1am but most of the vendors won’t get there until 5:30pm.

1. Assemble the right people—and the right number. Choose friends who share your level of interest and commitment, and of course, who are fun. Have a number large enough to comfortably cover costs (and help drink the wine) but not so many that it gets hard to keep track. Six is good.
2.  Decide on a budget. Presumably, you’ll want all members to chip in for the cost of the six or twelve bottles being delivered. Work within the budget to make sure everyone can continue participating. There are plenty of great wines that don’t cost the earth. (If you do want to enjoy some fancier wines, you can reduce the total number of wines ordered.)
3.  Pick a theme. For each meeting—and hence each order—choose a general region or a couple of varietals you want to taste in detail. This can be as general as “cabernet sauvignons from Chile” and “chardonnays from California” or as specific as “shiraz from Barossa Valley.” Do a mix of whites and reds to make things fun.
4.  Research your wines. The host can be in charge of contacting the importer for any wine notes if available. If not, a google search can yield enough information to go on.
5.  Order the wine. You have a theme, a budget, and tasting notes: pick what sounds yummy and send in your order.
6.  Get together and drink. At the meeting, taste the wines and discuss them before reading the notes. Before going home (get a cab!), decide on the next meeting’s theme. (Trust us, doing this after the fact takes forever.)
7.  Host on a rotating basis. The host can be in charge of collecting everyone’s suggestions, compiling a list of wines and making the order. They can also provide snacks and glasses and make sure that tasting notes are ready when needed. To encourage hosting, you might decide that each host gets to keep all the leftover wine.

Panda Diary

Premier May 12
The movie: A production crew was allowed inside the cages of Ueno Zoo to shoot new-born baby pandas in their mother’s care. Some of you may think you’ve had enough of the black and white bears but the little pandas in this film will melt your hearts.
The location: This cuteness-overloaded documentary was filmed in Uneo Zoo, Tokyo.
Closer to home: Good ol’ Lin Ping is still at Chiang Mai Zoo (ticket B50 plus another B50 to see the pandas. www.chiangmaizoo.com) with her parents, although she’s pretty big now.

Puen Mai Kao (August Friends)

Premier May 26
The movie: To fulfill their vow, five high school friends, played by five members of August, are travelling from Bangkok to Lampang by bike, a trip that will be with them for the rest of their lives.
The location: This road trip movie takes us along the 625 km from Bangkok to Lampang while stopping at provinces like Ayutthaya, Nakhon Sawan and Kamphaeng Phet.
Closer to home: We’d love to think the movie will inspire a group of friends to get on their saddles and ride. But hey, your butts will be pretty sore before you even get to Ayutthaya. A lot closer is Ampawa, where Thai Teeb (082-777-5999, www.iamyoungdee.com/thaiteeb_ampawa) offers bikes for rent as well as map so you can explore the areas culture and landmarks. Rentals start from B60 per hour.

Iron Pussy: A Kimchi Affair

Premier TBA
The movie: Part of Camellia, a project by three directors from three different countries who each made a love film, Iron Pussy: A Kimchi Affair, by Wisit Sasanatieng, tells the love story between two guys, a spy who has to dress like a woman and a mysterious Korean man.
The location: The port city of Pusan, Korea.
Closer to home: Air tickets to South Korea are pretty cheap at the moment so we encourage you to escape to the cooler mists in Pusan. A roundtrip ticket from THAI Airways (www.thaiairways.com) starts from B18,000 while Korean Air (www.koreanair.com) is from B22,000.

Monte Carlo

Premier TBA
The movie: Three young girls are on their vacation in Paris when one of them, Grace (played by Selena Gomez), is mistaken for a British heiress, somehow causing the three friends to end up in Monte Carlo, turning their dream holiday into a sensational misadventure.
The location: You might think Selena Gomez is a terrible casting decision. Yeah, we agree. But at least,the movie takes us to several hotspots around Paris and Monte Carlo.
Closer to home: Try the Ocean Marina Yacht Club (038-237-310/-23, www.oceanmarinayacthclub.com) in Pattaya where a two-hour sunset cruise together with room, breakfast and dinner is for B18,192 for four people. Too pricey? You can always hit the casinos in Poi Pet.

One Day

Premier Jul 21
The movie: At their first meeting on their graduation day, two completely different people, Emma, an ambitious principled young woman and Dexter, a wealthy fun-loving guy, run into each other again twenty years later.
The location: This romantic drama was filmed around the famous landmarks of Edinburgh and London. Among others, we like the scene when the couple are at Arthur’s Seat Hill overlooking the entire city of Edinburgh.
Closer to home: China has wonderfully empty fake European cities, like Thames Town or Luodian New Town both in the outskirts of Shanghai. THAI Airways (www.thaiairways.com) flies to Shanghai from B22,225.

The Hangover Part II

Premier May 26
The movie: Phil, Alan and Stu are on another giddy misadventure as they travel to Krabi for Stu’s wedding only to find themselves waking up half conscious in the city of Bangkok.
The location: Though most of the story takes place in Bangkok’s popular landmarks like Yaowarat, the old town and the Chao Phraya, the trip begins at the high-end resort Phulay Bay the Ritz-Carlton Reserves in Krabi where Stu’s wedding is supposed to take place. The world’s first Ritz-Carlton Reserves promises a luxurious setting designed by Lek Bunnag hugged by lush gardens and peaceful beach and Andaman sea.
Closer to home: Rooms at Phulay Bay are expensive (from B19,550) so you might consider other options with the same view. Try The Elements Krabi (from B3,000, www.theelementsresort.com) or Tup kaek Sunset (from B2,100, www.tupkaeksunset.com).

FILM-MADE FAMES
Tourist hot-spots that got that way after being featured on the silver screen.

Nami Island, South Korea
When autumn arrives and all the leaves turn red, this small private island becomes the hottest romantic destination for K-Pop lovers as it’s the location of hit Asia series Winter Sonata. It was so featured in Hello Stranger (2010), too.

New Zealand
A pair of islands once ruled by sheep and kiwi birds has turned into a favorite among tourists looking for the picturesque scenery featured in the The Lord of The Rings Trilogy (2001-2003).

Zhang Jia Jie Forest Park, China
Pillar-like formations in this UNESCO Global GeoPark site are regarded as the inspiration for the Hallelujah Mountain in Avatar (2010). Among thousands, the 3,544-foot Southern Sky column has even been renamed as Avatar Hallelujah Mountain.

“The lamest screen ‘twist’ since M. Night Shyamalan’s The Village.” Calum Waddell, SFX Magazine

“In the wake of Martin Scorsese’s recent movie about almost exactly the same thing, it’s tempting to rename this one Sh*tter Island.” Robbie Collin, News of the World

”Another misfire from Carpenter. Could this be his third and final strike?” Conor Mills, Little White Lies

“It soon becomes difficult to even care if the poor lass lives or dies.” Calum Waddel, Total Sci-fi Online

“It does appear as though the once-reliable filmmaker has lost his way in a seemingly insurmountable manner.” David Nusair, Reel Film Reviews

Dakasi

B40. Siam Square Soi 7. Open daily 11am–10pm. 080-080-0600
The cup is compact and easy to carry. Sadly, though, the tiny pearls taste flat and the texture is pretty chewy. The pale milk tea is too creamy, with lots of powdered milk flavor and only a faint hint and aroma of tea. Nor do we like the over-frothy consistency of the tea.

Koguma Kafe

B35. Soi Yada, Silom Rd. Open daily 11am-midnight. 02-632-8822
The small cup and a non-sealed lid may make the drink less appealing and carry-friendly than other brands but the line in front of Koguma Kafe is usually long at lunchtime. Apart from the cute little yellow bear on the cup, what we love about Koguma is its authentic jasmine tea flavor. The milk tastes nice and smooth, but sadly the not-so-chewy pearls fall prey to the ubiquitous crime of blandness.

Miss Mamon

B40. G/F, Silom Complex. Open daily 10:30am-8pm. 02-632-1200
Miss Mamon bubble tea makes you feel like the sunny smiley face on their cup. The color is neither too white nor too brown, and the tea smells fresh, is well-balanced, and tastes delicious: smooth and a bit milky, but not creamy. The pearls’ texture is soft, not at all chewy or sticky, and they taste slightly sweet—again, just right.

Mr. Cup Tea & Coffee

B40. Siam Square Parking lot 1. Open daily 10am-10pm. 085-405-5551
Recently opened, Mr. Cup has already become quite a hit. Quite a nice blend between the milk and the tea, with just the right amount of bitterness and smoothness, but the aroma of the tea is a bit too strong. The pearls are also rather dense and insipid.

Mr. Shake

B40. By Pass at Siam Square (opp. Digital Gateway). Open daily 10am-9pm. 089-008-8899
Owning the highest number of branches, Mr. Shake is a bubble tea kingpin. The brownest of all the bubble teas, it smells fresh and feels neither too creamy nor too watery. Too bad the tea tastes a bit too sweet. But what we really love about Mr. Shake is its chewy and brown-sugar sweet pearls. Still, their cup is rather small and often filled with lots of big ice cubes, and it’s slightly more pricey than its competitors.

Ochaya

B35. Soi Sala Deang, Silom Rd. Open daily 6am-6:30pm. 086-629-9655
Although it smells like freshly brewed tea and has a pleasant bitter taste, Ochaya’s milk tea is too watery, lacking the creaminess of the milk. Still, the pearls are quite a treat. They are soft and sweet. Plus, Ochaya is by far the cheapest because of its tall cup—though that makes it less convenient to tote around.

T.Bar

B35. Siam Square near 29 Plaza. Open daily 10:30am–8pm. 081-825-5082
T.Bar is another newcomer in the bubble tea market. But in today’s health-conscious atmosphere, it offers something unusual: a choice of five levels of sweetness with level four as ‘standard sweet’! As interesting as this sounds, the tea, though quite smooth, tastes too milky and has a strong smell we can’t quite place. The pearls are tough in texture and bland in taste.

BUBBLES 101
The craze for bubble tea, or cha nom khai mook, started in Taiwan about 30 years ago and has since spread around the world, reaching tea lovers as far away as North America and the UK, where the first shop specializing exclusively in bubble tea just opened this year. The signature twist, of course, is the bite-sized dark pearls at the bottom of the drink, for which extra fat straws are provided. These pearls are made of starch from tapioca, a plant also known as sago and cassava in other parts of the world. The pearls first have to be boiled, stewed, then soaked in a sugary syrup for up to four hours before being deemed ready for consumption. Actually, they’re not even exclusive to bubble tea, but are added to other desserts as well. You may find them gooey or otherwise icky, but slurping up these beauties through big, brightly colored straws, are one of the joys of bubble tea, making them insanely popular and prompting shop owners to come up with their own fun, flavorful and chew-worthy alternatives, ranging from jellies to pudding mixes. Here we round up some of the stranger options that the top bubble tea shops in Bangkok have to offer:

Dakasi: pineapple jelly, aloe, chocolate pudding
Mr. Cup: chao kuay (grass jelly), vanilla ice cream
Mr. Shake: honey jelly, milk pudding, apple jelly
T.Bar: kanten (a Japanese gelatin)
Miss Mamon: azuki (red) beans, milk pudding

LG Cinema 3D LW6500

B22,990-B299,990 (32”/42”/47”/55”/65”). Call center 02-878-5757, www.lg.com/th
At a glance: The update to the world’s first Full LED 3D television LX9500 (winner of the Red Dot Design Award in 2010) boasts a similarly stylish design and sleek finish.
In action: The LW6500 does not use battery-controlled 3D glasses, meaning they don’t flicker, don’t cause headaches when watching in a room less than pitch dark and don’t suffer from ghost images. Also, the glasses look a lot cooler.
What else? The pre-equipped Smart TV feature means you can also enjoy surf ing the internet and plays all kinds of media.

Toshiba Regza WL700T

B69,990/89,990 (46”/55”). www.toshiba.co.th
At a glance: Toshiba’s first 3D television, the Regza WL700T, comes with a stunning design by Jacob Jensen Design: a single glass panel bordered with polished metal, only 2.89cm thick.
In action: The 14-bit video processing promises smooth and clear motion graphics, Audyssey EQ helps correct delayed and distorted sounds, and the AutoView automatically adjusts the backlight according to your room’s brightness, reducing power consumption.
What else? It’s cheap but it can’t connect to the internet.

Samsung Series 8 8000

B129,000 (55”). www.samsung.com/th
At a glance: The Samsung 8000 is less than 3cm thick, and the metallic materials and glossy glass panel look great.
In action: The HyperReal 3D Engine works with the RealD 3D system, which works with polarized glasses like some movie theaters: the image is slightly darker but the glasses don’t require batteries and there is no flickering.
What else: Internet@TV gives you access to social media channels and web to internet via LAN or Wi-Fi (sold separately).

Sony Bravia NX710/810

B43,990-141,990 (40”/46”/55”/60)
At a glance: A shiny, slim screen panel on an metallic stand that also works as a powerful speaker.
In action: Its Dynamic Edge with OptiContrast Panel produces deeper blacks with the Montionflow Pro 100Hz should make 60fps motion pictures smoother.
What else: Connects to the internet through LAN or Wi-Fi (sold separately).

Varekai by Cirque du Soleil

As the world’s most-celebrated circus and acrobat troupe, Cirque du Soleil’s productions are nothing if not extravagant. Touring Asia now is their show Varekai, which means “wherever” in Romany. First premiered in 2002, Varekai portrays the adventure of a fallen angel in a lush jungle. May is the last chance to catch the show in Seoul, South Korea, before it premieres in Manila in June.
Through May 29. Seoul, South Korea. Jun 22-Jul 10. Manila, Philippines.
www.cirquedusoleil.com

Melbourne International Jazz Festival

A baby at just five years old, the Melbourne Jazz Festival nevertheless pulls in music lovers with its list of visiting jazz talents. This year you’ll get to experience shows by the Ron Carter Trio, Chris Botti, Sonny Rollins and the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, among others.
Jun 4-13. Melbourne, Australia. www.melbournejazz.com

Bali Arts Festival

This month-long arts festival is the largest cultural event in Denpasar. Now in its 33rd year, the Bali Arts Festival is bringing together local art forms and artists from several villages on the island to showcase their folk performances, dances and music, as well as handicraft products and textiles. Showcases change daily so check the schedule prior to your visit.
Jun 12-Jul 10. Bali, Indonesia. www.baliartsfestival.com

Shanghai International Film Festival

Started in 1993, the Shanghai International Film Festival is China’s premier movie event. Apart from the line up of international flicks competing for the Golden Goblet Award, the event will feature six classic films by Polish master director Krzystof Kieslowski (The Decalogue, Three Colours Trilogy) to commemorate his 100th anniversary, 15 years after his death.
Jun 11-19. Shanghai, China. www.siff.com

Gion Matsuri

According to legend, it all started around 869 CE when there was an epidemic in Tokyo and people had festive ceremonies in the streets to appease the gods. The celebration is now Kyoto’s largest festival. Though it lasts the whole month of July, the grandest highlight is on Jul 17 when there’s the Yamaboko Parade in which thousands of people parade through the streets playing traditional music and carrying offerings for the gods. One of the most popular tourist activities is dressing up in traditional kimonos and, well, just going with the flow.
Jul 1-31. Kyoto, Japan. www.yokosojapan.org

Rainforest World Music Festival

Now in its 14th year, the Rainforest World Music Festival is ranked one of the top 25 international festivals by UKbased world music magazine Songlines. Set at the base of Gunung Santubong in the Sarawak Cultural Village, this year’s festival features performers from nearly two dozen countries, from Algeria to Vanuatu.
Jul 8-10. Sarawak, Malaysia. www.rainforestmusic-borneo.com

Melbourne International Film Festival

Founded in 1951, MIFF is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year. The largest film festival in Australia, the MIFF showcases more than 400 films from international directors—everything from large-scale productions to short films and documentaries.
Jul 21-Aug 7. Melbourne, Australia. www.melbournefilmfestival.com.au

Thanongchai Talavanich, owner of O-Corner (6/F, MBK, 02-611-4880. BTS National Stadium) tells us about his passion for retro gaming and how he started his store.

How did you start your shop?
I was a gamer since I was young. I experienced these video games from their very first generation. At that time, I was studying veterinary medicine at Chulalongkorn University and during my fifth year, I had a lot of free time. I decided to take a Japanese language course and I began to frequently visit Japan. My friends would always ask me to bring back games. I had this Japanese friend in university and, one day, he saw me holding a bag from his parent’s shop in Japan! Selling video games was his family’s business. So, two years after graduating, we came up with this idea of opening a shop at MBK and importing new and used games from Japan.

What is your first video game and console?
The first game that I seriously played was “Mario” on the Family Computer by Nintendo, although “Pong” on the Atari is even older.

Is your entire collection for sale?
If you’re thinking of being a seller, you cannot be possessive. Maybe I’ll have a console of which only three exist in Thailand. But if someone out there wants it more than I do, I’ll sell it to them. I’d rather the game or console be with someone who really wants it. After selling it, I miss it, though. I’m also a collector that way. But I never regret it. I’ll have a chance to find more in Japan, whereas my clients only have my shop. There is this one console I’m really attached to. It’s a Gameboy booth that comes with a big screen. My friend said I could have it after we had been running this shop together for three years. There are less than five in the whole world that are still in working order.

What is your favorite console and game?
My first experiences were on the Family Computer by Nintendo which is also my inspiration for starting this business. But today, my favorite one is the NEO-GEO by SNK because you really get that feeling of playing in an arcade. The NEO-GEO is the most expensive console in this shop, though—it’s 50,000 baht. Also I’ve grown up, I have less free time, and I like games you can finish quickly. My all-time favorite game is Mario 3 though, because of the exquisite graphics. I never feel bored playing it, even though I’ve finished the games 50 times or more.

What do you think about TCDC’s Digiplay exhibition?
There’s about 40 items from my shop that have been put in the exhibition. At first, I couldn’t believe that they were really interested, because TCDC is about design. After I’ve saw the exhibition, I realized that they’re right; video game consoles have been carefully designed to impress people. I think it’s a good exhibition. It feels like a museum of retro games.

Do some people buy these consoles for decoration?
Yes. Here, we’re talking about rich people whose homes have entertainment rooms full of different consoles and they can play them on a huge screen. Sometimes they decorate their walls with these games. These people are actually pickier than game collectors because every game has to be playable. It’s like showing off and upgrading your social status. Interview by Rattikarn Suwithayaphan

DigiPlay is on display until May 22 at TCDC.

The craze for bubble tea, or cha nom khai mook, started in Taiwan about 30 years ago and has since spread around the world, reaching tea lovers as far away as North America and the UK, where the first shop specializing exclusively in bubble tea just opened this year. The signature twist, of course, is the bite-sized dark pearls at the bottom of the drink, for which extra fat straws are provided. These pearls are made of starch from tapioca, a plant also known as sago and cassava in other parts of the world. The pearls first have to be boiled, stewed, then soaked in a sugary syrup for up to four hours before being deemed ready for consumption. Actually, they’re not even exclusive to bubble tea, but are added to other desserts as well. You may find them gooey or otherwise icky, but slurping up these beauties through big, brightly colored straws, are one of the joys of bubble tea, making them insanely popular and prompting shop owners to come up with their own fun, flavorful and chew-worthy alternatives, ranging from jellies to pudding mixes. Here we round up some of the stranger options that the top bubble tea shops in Bangkok have to offer:

Dakasi: pineapple jelly, aloe, chocolate pudding
Mr. Cup: chao kuay (grass jelly), vanilla ice cream
Mr. Shake:  honey jelly, milk pudding, apple jelly
T.Bar: kanten (a Japanese gelatin)
Miss Mamon: azuki (red) beans, milk pudding