Legendary nightlife columnist Bernard Trink dead at 89

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OBITUARY

Legendary nightlife columnist Bernard Trink dead at 89

 

 

A legendary Thailand based journalist and columnist of a bygone era, Bernard Trink, has died aged 89.

 

For many decades from the 1960s to 2003 Mr Trink was a columnist commenting on the nightlife in Bangkok and Pattaya in the Bangkok World and when that publication closed in the mid 1980s in the Bangkok Post. 

 

Mr Trink was a controversial figure with strident views that delighted and irked in equal measure.

 

But it was fair to say that most expats who followed his column would always read it even if they disagreed with him or didn't appreciate his content. 

 

A New Yorker born in 1931, Mr Trink served in the Korean war and later was a journalist in India, Hong Kong and Japan before settling in Bangkok in 1962. 

 

He started his famous "Nite Owl" column in the now defunct Bangkok World in 1966.

 

Every Friday evening there would be news about the bar scene usually accompanied by gyrating go-go dancers whom he might describe as "comely lasses". 

 

His lack of political correctness - in an era when that expression had not yet been coined - angered many and ultimately led to the end of the column. 

 

After the Bangkok World closed his column moved to the Bangkok Post first as a full page then just a half page. 

 

In the late 1999's the management of the post cut the column but there was a public outcry and it was restored until it was finally shelved in 2003. 

 

Mr Trink was well known in the bars and clubs of Bangkok and Pattaya, famous for "doing his rounds" with pants hitched high up and a medallion on his chest. He was often accompanied by his wife Aree Trink. 

 

Despite promoting the bar scene he always warned foreigners not to hitch up with Thai "demimondaines" (his word for bar girls and hostesses) whom he invariably described as untrustworthy. 

 

He was famous for what could be described as "Trinkisms" - words and expressions that are still used by many expats today. One was "T.I.T." (This Is Thailand) that explained away baffling occurrences in the kingdom.

 

He always signed off his column with "And I don't give a hoot".

 

The Bangkok Post management eventually did give a hoot and he was sidelined though he continued to go to the office to work on book and film reviews. 

 

One controversial thing that angered people and the Post management was his oddball claim that HIV did not lead to AIDS.

 

But he also campaigned fervently for the removal of the Patpong night market saying that fire engines would not be able to gain access if there was a "conflagration" in one of the bars or discos of what was Thailand's leading red light area of the time. 

 

A close associate of the legendary columnist told Thaivisa that it was always hard to pin down Mr Trink because he had no phone or computer.

 

Mr Trink, who passed away at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from a blood infection, is survived by his wife, a son and a daughter.

 

Rooster

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2020-10-12

 

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[Odysseus123]

My condolences-an excellent,highly knowledgeable..and very curious fellow!

"yet a little sleep,a little slumber,a little folding of the hands to sleep.."

Edited October 12, 2020 by Odysseus123

[pegman]

R.I.P. Mr T.

[ratcatcher]

The Night Owl, once endangered, now extinct.  R.I. P. Sir.

[rott]

I enjoyed his column in my early days here and regretted it's passing. Thank you for the pleasure you gave Bernard, I hope you enjoyed your life as much as you seemed to. 

[Misterwhisper]

Rest in peace, Bernie. 'Nuff said.

 

In the mid-90s a close friend and I ran into a group of visiting Austrian journalists. One of them, a female, presented us with her business card. Upon reading it we both broke down in laughter. Her name was Bernadette Trink!

 

Bernadette was quite flustered and obviously didn't comprehend what was so funny. So we had to explain to her who Bernard Trink was. That didn't cheer her up much. I guess she wasn't all too delighted to be compared to a fellow journalist who made his living writing about hookers and go-go bars.

[Orton Rd]

He would be de platformed today of course, legend of his time in Bangkok

[Bluetongue]

I remember reading his advice in the Post, he was a font of knowledge. Good innings.

[Phuketshrew]

RIP Bernard. I didn't realize that I was also from a bygone era. Whatever happened to Edith Clampton and khun Hazel?

[tso310]

RTP. Didn't he used to have a column in the Far Eastern Economic Review ? 

[marinediscoking]

Legend! I loved his column before the internet  I had no idea he was here since 1962.

Longest expat in Thai history living here 58 years?

RIP.

[Orton Rd]

Before Thai Friendly etc etc there was only Trink

from Patpong Museum

 

[Rancid]

You were either around in those days or you weren't. The Night Owl was was always a part of reading the Bangkok Post back then. It was a different era, would suspect most that went through those times believe it was much better to boot. Thanks for the enjoyment your column gave to so many Mr Trink.

[TaoNow]

I worked on HIV prevention in Thailand full-time in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

 

Bernard Trink couldn't understand why HIV wasn't "mowing down the bar girls in Patpong."

 

That led hiim to believe that commercial sex wasn't a serious risk for HIV, and that condoms were not needed for commercial sex or were not effective prevention.

 

Although the readership of Night Owl wasn't our "target poulation," it was still incredibly frustrating to have a columnist in Thailand's major English-language daily newspaper spout these untruths or myths about how HIV was spreading in the country.

 

The point is, Trink never had a good understanding of commercial sex in Thailand outside the ex-pat bar zones of Patpong, Pattaya, Nana, and Cowboy.  He probably didn't even understand the bar girl scene that well either since he didn't seem to know much Thai language, despite all his years here.

 

One Postbag contributer pointed out, accurately, that Trink as "Night Owl, was actually a pimp, since he made his living telling punters where to find commercial sex and how much to pay.

 

'Nuff said.

[phantomfiddler]

1 hour ago, Rancid said:

You were either around in those days or you weren't. The Night Owl was was always a part of reading the Bangkok Post back then. It was a different era, would suspect most that went through those times believe it was much better to boot. Thanks for the enjoyment your column gave to so many Mr Trink.

Every, and I mean EVERY, Farang read the Trink Page every week, and many including myself missed his highly informative page. R.I.P. Bernard !

[marinediscoking]

1 hour ago, TaoNow said:

I worked on HIV prevention in Thailand full-time in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

 

Bernard Trink couldn't understand why HIV wasn't "mowing down the bar girls in Patpong."

 

That led hiim to believe that commercial sex wasn't a serious risk for HIV, and that condoms were not needed for commercial sex or were not effective prevention.

 

Although the readership of Night Owl wasn't our "target poulation," it was still incredibly frustrating to have a columnist in Thailand's major English-language daily newspaper spout these untruths or myths about how HIV was spreading in the country.

 

The point is, Trink never had a good understanding of commercial sex in Thailand outside the ex-pat bar zones of Patpong, Pattaya, Nana, and Cowboy.  He probably didn't even understand the bar girl scene that well either since he didn't seem to know much Thai language, despite all his years here.

 

One Postbag contributer pointed out, accurately, that Trink as "Night Owl, was actually a pimp, since he made his living telling punters where to find commercial sex and how much to pay.

 

'Nuff said.

That's a bit over the top IMHO. I never remember him posting prices of girls just reviews of bars and the areas. If anyone took his belief on HIV they where a fool but he wasn't the only one out there like that. Still to this day there are many who openly said they never use condoms or ever will here.

[Misterwhisper]

2 hours ago, Phuketshrew said:

RIP Bernard. I didn't realize that I was also from a bygone era. Whatever happened to Edith Clampton and khun Hazel?

Yup, Edith Clampton (Ms.), "she" was hilarious -- and almost as legendary as the Night Owl. Almost.

[Ombra]

2 hours ago, TaoNow said:

I worked on HIV prevention in Thailand full-time in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

 

Bernard Trink couldn't understand why HIV wasn't "mowing down the bar girls in Patpong."

 

That led hiim to believe that commercial sex wasn't a serious risk for HIV, and that condoms were not needed for commercial sex or were not effective prevention.

 

Although the readership of Night Owl wasn't our "target poulation," it was still incredibly frustrating to have a columnist in Thailand's major English-language daily newspaper spout these untruths or myths about how HIV was spreading in the country.

 

The point is, Trink never had a good understanding of commercial sex in Thailand outside the ex-pat bar zones of Patpong, Pattaya, Nana, and Cowboy.  He probably didn't even understand the bar girl scene that well either since he didn't seem to know much Thai language, despite all his years here.

 

One Postbag contributer pointed out, accurately, that Trink as "Night Owl, was actually a pimp, since he made his living telling punters where to find commercial sex and how much to pay.

 

'Nuff said.

'Pimping' is a little unfair because it was commonplace 30 years ago for journalists to report a police raid on a massage parlour or brothel, to give the full address of the place, and to list the services offered and the prices charged.

[petertucker21]

BT leaving Bangkok Post was one reason I did not renew my yearly Subs!!

[shoupy]

The man who explained where the phrase 'the whole nine yards' came from.

[thecyclist]

The original Trink column in the Bangkok world was much more about the girlie bars and the nightlife sex scene, he kind of had to tone down the sexpat guide aspect of it when he 'graduated' to the Bangkok post. That probably wasn't very good for his health as he started doing more restaurant reviews: not   being a drinker but fond of eating, he started putting on weight. The last time I spotted him plodding down Sukhumvit, 15 or so years ago he was morbidly obese. He should have stuck to the go go bars, ogling the lasses and sipping his juice and he would probably still be alive today. 

[dbrenn]

4 hours ago, TaoNow said:

One Postbag contributer pointed out, accurately, that Trink as "Night Owl, was actually a pimp, since he made his living telling punters where to find commercial sex and how much to pay.

Mosey on over ... 

[Mr Meeseeks]

5 hours ago, TaoNow said:

I worked on HIV prevention in Thailand full-time in the late 1980s and 1990s. 

 

Bernard Trink couldn't understand why HIV wasn't "mowing down the bar girls in Patpong."

 

That led hiim to believe that commercial sex wasn't a serious risk for HIV, and that condoms were not needed for commercial sex or were not effective prevention.

 

Although the readership of Night Owl wasn't our "target poulation," it was still incredibly frustrating to have a columnist in Thailand's major English-language daily newspaper spout these untruths or myths about how HIV was spreading in the country.

 

The point is, Trink never had a good understanding of commercial sex in Thailand outside the ex-pat bar zones of Patpong, Pattaya, Nana, and Cowboy.  He probably didn't even understand the bar girl scene that well either since he didn't seem to know much Thai language, despite all his years here.

 

One Postbag contributer pointed out, accurately, that Trink as "Night Owl, was actually a pimp, since he made his living telling punters where to find commercial sex and how much to pay.

 

'Nuff said.

Have you ever heard the advice never to speak ill of the dead?

[Mr Meeseeks]

I met Bernard often when I was a regular in Patpong and Soi Cowboy in the 90's and 00's. He was always interesting company and his wife Aree was always polite and pleasant. 

 

He was a throwback but those were the days when Bangkok really was the wild, 24 hour party city that it had the reputation for. 

 

Now? A shadow of its former self. Most of the characters are dead or gone and they have managed to rid the city of most of the bars that were worth visiting.

 

RIP Bernard and RIP Bangkok. 

[holy cow cm]

Now as I just find this article of Bernard passing I am truly a big bit sad. I am an old school fan from the good ole days of Bangkok and the exploits the most of the guys n girls on TV now will never understand or Feel. Bernard was in every way in the trenches same as us in that time of life. Don't get me wrong, I am a tad bit over mid 50, but been here a long long long time. RIP Bernard! 

Edited October 12, 2020 by holy cow cm

[Mr Meeseeks]

1 minute ago, holy cow cm said:

Now as I just find this article of Bernard passing I am truly a big bit sad. I am an old school fan from the good ole days of Bangkok and the exploits the most of the guys n girls will never understand or Feel. Bernard was in every way in the trenches same as us in that time of life. 

There was nothing like and likely never will be again.

 

It was in a word, incredible.

[holy cow cm]

6 minutes ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

I met Bernard often when I was a regular in Patpong and Soi Cowboy in the 90's and 00's. He was always interesting company and his wife Aree was always polite and pleasant. 

 

He was a throwback but those were the days when Bangkok really was the wild, 24 hour party city that it had the reputation for. 

 

Now? A shadow of its former self. Most of the characters are dead or gone and they have managed to rid the city of most of the bars that were worth visiting.

 

RIP Bernard and RIP Bangkok. 

Tavern and Blue sky and yes, those were the real days of the untamed Bangkok and Thailand. It is a crumbling shell of itself now. If I could be transported back to a time of my life, it would be back then when Bangkok was just so off the 24 hour wonderful unadulterated wall. 

[holy cow cm]

Uh  Huh,,,, There you go!
 

[holy cow cm]

3 minutes ago, holy cow cm said:

Uh  Huh,,,, There you go!
 

Too fun back then... Way tooo fun.......

Edited October 12, 2020 by holy cow cm

[thaiowl]

Used to read his column every Saturday. Saw him a couple of times on his rounds.