Did Anyone Know Trink?

[flexomike]

6 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

 

You made me more curios about The Serpent's main shooting locations. So I did a bit more digging and following is what I found. 

 

As I said, not much shooting was actually done at The Miami Hotel, however many articles written about the series had led people to believe that this was one of the main locations. They only filmed a few scenes in the lobby, outside the hotel, and they had created a fake bar on the second floor in front of the elevator where they shot at least one other scene. The production crew had also wanted to film the murder scenes in The Miami Hotel, but they wouldn't allow it. 

 

I also learned that some scenes were shot at The Atlantic Hotel on Soi 2, the hotel I mentioned in my previous post, but I hadn't been aware that The Atlantic was also used as a Serpent location until now. 

 

I also found the name of the apartment complex in Soi 4 where most of the shooting was done and it's called Baan Bellawin. It's also still standing and the main apartment used for filming is still occupied. You can find it on Google Maps. 

 

The wrong information I had gotten about it already being torn down was something I had read in a Conde Nast article from a few years ago on the link below. Perhaps the reason CN didn't give the name of the apartment complex, and had said that it was being torn down, was because they didn't want a flood of curious lookie-loos popping by. 

 

https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/where-was-the-serpent-filmed

 

Also, the Kanit House, which I mentioned was on Sathorn, was close, but actually over at 77/5 Soi Saladaeng. Not sure what's on the property now and how long ago Kanit was taken down. 
 

 

was stationed in Bangkok on Sathorn Road, I remember a lot of the officers lived at the Kanit House

[BKKBike09]

On 3/25/2024 at 1:07 AM, Rhys said:

Burma Shave....

 

 

Dinty Moore ... I'll clue Ya!

[Bangkok Barry]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:07 PM, josephbloggs said:

Maybe he was a nice guy in person, but for me he should have been fired from the Post years before he actually was - he was actually pretty creepy.

 

Different world then. Look at what happened at the BBC, for example.

To me, his column was a must read, along with the weekly Data Post section. I saw him once when I visited the BP building, but didn't speak with him. These days, and for the past 20 years, I suppose you could say that Stickman has replaced him.

[Thingamabob]

Never met him. I used to enjoy his Nite Owl column and found it a useful guide as to where and what was going on in Bangkok's nightlife, which was great fun in those days.

[SingAPorn]

No to speak about  Mr Trink who has my full respect, but Man many of these old lads from the golden era were real stuntmen...all bonkin' around unprotected with all the aids and std....wonder how they made it through time ?

[Bangkok Barry]

On 3/25/2024 at 12:11 AM, HugoFastor said:

I think Stickman was sort of the Trink replacement. He started it a few years before Trink’s column was cancelled. He probably helped to dull the interest in Trink’s column too because Stick could write whatever he wanted and post whatever photos he wanted without a family-friendly editor looking over his shoulder. 

 

Can’t say I ever really read Stick much either. For the same reason I never read Trink really; I just did’t need the info. Occasionally I would read a specific excerpt on Stick when a link to something written on that site would come up in a Google search. But that was about it. But Stick was a way for people who didn’t want to have to hunt down a newspaper to be able to read similar content to Trink, but online and for free. 
 

Stick is still going it seems, but I think there were periods where it stopped flowing and another site called Stickboy appeared as a temporary replacement. There had also been talk that Stick was often being written by various different ghost writers under the one Stick moniker. He seemed to have changed his story a few times too about who was really behind the writing of the Stick site. I don’t know much about it though, I never really delved into it. The site design also looks very eighties and hasn’t ever been revamped. All the information on there also seems pretty pedestrian for someone living in Thailand. Probably it’s more interesting to people living overseas who are missing the Bangkok nightlife scene and want to stay in touch. That’s probably its main target readership.

 

I know Stick well and he has always written his own column. There was a short period when he was 'cyberly stalked' by a notstickmanbangkok site during which he stood back a bit, but he was tracked down by Stick and he fled the country (not only because of his on-line harassment of Stick, as far as I remember). As for the look of the site, at one stage he did think of changing it but reader opinions were divided on whether he should do so, so he didn't. For several years now he has been writing from his native New Zealand, largely gathering info from his contacts while making occasional visits back to gather material in person. It's a decent read, but sometimes too reliant on photo lead articles.

[ballpoint]

10 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

BTW, yes, there are/were a few other hotels designed like The Miami Hotel in and around Sukhumvit. The Honey Hotel on Suk Soi 19 is the one I think you were referring to. There also used to be The Federal Hotel on Suk Soi 11. There was also one called The Manhattan, but I can't remember where it was. There was The Rex Hotel on Suk, closer to Ekamai. And still very much standing is The Florida Hotel on Phayathai Road and The Atlanta Hotel on Suk Soi 2.
 

Funny thing about the Atlanta is that the sign right in front of the hotel says "Sex Tourists Not Welcome". Kind of hard to imagine they would get anything but. From what I recall, it was always the Nana Hotel overflow crowd.
 

All of these were probably built in the 50s or 60s too. 

 

 

And not to forget the Golden Palace, on Sukhumvit 1. Now turned onto a carpark for Bumrungrad.  While "paradise" might be pushing it, they never the less paved it and put up a parking lot.

 

To me, Trink's columns were a must read, along with Crutch's ones, back in those pre-internet days.  Like him or not, it's just a case of manure (huMAN natURE).

[jaywalker2]

Trink's column changed a lot after the Bangkok World folded and he transferred to the Bangkok Post. In the Bangkok World, if I recall correctly, at the World he had a whole page and it was all about the nightlife, which shows to see, which bars were rip offs, details about the Thermae, grifting whores, etc. That was all lost when the Bangkok Post decided it wanted to be family friendly and reined him in. Trink turned to conspiracy theories, Burma shave ads, and his obsession with HIV.

 

He was never a great writer but he was a unique voice and one of the few things of interest in the English-language newspaper back in the late 80's.

[Bangkok Barry]

2 hours ago, beautifulthailand99 said:

He was part of the old Thailand like this place now fading into obscurity. I used to buy the Nation and Bangkok Post every day - religiously, and consume them like a ravenous creature. Those were the days.

 

There was one day I tried to buy the BP and the shop owner wouldn't let me buy it as he hadn't sold out of yesterdays yet. Just one of those TIT moments, as Trink would say.

[Lemsta69]

2 hours ago, bangkok19 said:

Back in the early 80's as a young sex tourist the Night Owl column was my only source of bar news back in Oz in between trips.

I had the pleasure of meeting Bernard in the Crown Royale (PP2) one afternoon. I was introduced to him by an old long gone Kiwi mate who appeared in a movie made at the time (in Thailand) called "COMEBACK" also starring Michael Landon.

Back then a lot of the regulars used to rotate between the Madrid and the Crown Royale between lunchtime and sunset. When I was in town I'd mingle with them, hearing all the old stories of Patpong.... also met Neil Davis, an Aussie journo who was shot and killed in a coup in Bangkok mid 80's.  His photo used to be on the wall in the GRAND PRIX BAR back in the day.

In the small Soi linking PP1 and PP2 opposite the Crowne Royale used to be the SUPERSTAR BEER GARDEN, we'd often stop by there during afternoon happy hour (Amarit Draft 30 baht glass) and watch a video movie as well as the passing parade.

Trink would occasionally stroll past some afternoons with friends enroute to either Madrid or Crowne Royale.

Great memories.

 

Did the Crown Royal stink of mothballs back then? Or whatever those small white balls they use to deodorise the toilet are?

 

I only discovered the place in early 2022 after I retired and moved here versus being a backpacker/tourist in the late '90s-early '00s.

 

Been there a few times since then and it's always dead quiet, no other customers. They charge 140B for a small Heineken now so I probably won't go back there again unless an old Patpong hand is ringing the bell 😉

 

Never got to see the Madrid or any of the other old names. It's a wasteland now, not sure why the family don't bulldoze the place and put up a shopping mall or something. 

[Thingamabob]

2 hours ago, SingAPorn said:

No to speak about  Mr Trink who has my full respect, but Man many of these old lads from the golden era were real stuntmen...all bonkin' around unprotected with all the aids and std....wonder how they made it through time ?

Some of us are still around..

[1FinickyOne]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

Never understood the Trink worship. His column was an abomination, just cut and pasted rubbish from emails, lame jokes, and silly cliches. Even his book reviews were poor. He was a talentless man who somehow made a living from it (kudos to him for that), and I never understood why the Bangkok Post kept him for so long.

But no, never met him.

It was because his early work was excellent - but he coasted into retirement for far far too long. 

[1FinickyOne]

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

 

There was one day I tried to buy the BP and the shop owner wouldn't let me buy it as he hadn't sold out of yesterdays yet. Just one of those TIT moments, as Trink would say.

was the BP out of gas?

[bangkok19]

Patpong 2 was quite a buzz in the 80's...  next to the Crown Royale was the RIFIFI BAR run by Mickey.

It often was quite popular just before sunset onwards.

Down the other direction was the CLEO BAR BEER ( later known as Vinai's).  Anyone remember the old cashier? she was 110° in the shade.

I actually saw her pay a visit to the bar last year. You can take an old girl outta the bar but you can't take the bar.....

Also the EXECUTIVE BAR was quite posh in its day.

I always remember the La Cherie (goldfish bowl) on Suriwong Rd at the end of PP2 near the Suriwong Hotel. It had a grand old escalator to get you down there, but you had steps to get back up.  I'd sit at the big glass window with Kloster in hand with my nose pressed up against it watching all the girls applying make-up to each other.

[lou norman]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:12 PM, ozimoron said:

I had the feeling he was already fairly old when I first arrived in Bangkok in 1980. Do you remember the shrimp calendars?

Anybody know if any of those superb calendars are still available?

[HugoFastor]

1 hour ago, bangkok19 said:

Patpong 2 was quite a buzz in the 80's...  next to the Crown Royale was the RIFIFI BAR run by Mickey.

It often was quite popular just before sunset onwards.

Down the other direction was the CLEO BAR BEER ( later known as Vinai's).  Anyone remember the old cashier? she was 110° in the shade.

I actually saw her pay a visit to the bar last year. You can take an old girl outta the bar but you can't take the bar.....

Also the EXECUTIVE BAR was quite posh in its day.

I always remember the La Cherie (goldfish bowl) on Suriwong Rd at the end of PP2 near the Suriwong Hotel. It had a grand old escalator to get you down there, but you had steps to get back up.  I'd sit at the big glass window with Kloster in hand with my nose pressed up against it watching all the girls applying make-up to each other.

 

Was there also a popular watering on PP2 that could only be reached by entering through the carpark above Foodland supermarket?

Edited March 26 by HugoFastor

[HugoFastor]

Perhaps the Patpong area can't easily be raised and redeveloped into a shopping mall because of the issue that Patpong 1 Road is a city street and property of the government.

 

Speaking of the old days of Patpong, although PP wasn't a place I spent that much time at, does anyone remember the old Mizu's Sarika Steak House owned by Akio Masakari?

 

It was probably the oldest of any of the venues in Patong 1 and I believe it was the oldest independent non-Thai restaurant in the country, until it eventually closed down. 

 

I think Akio opened his first location on Patpong 1 in 1954, and, by the mid to late sixties moved his deeper place inside Patpong 1 about 1/3 of the way down from the Suriwong end. Walking through the doorway of that place was like going through a time warp, even 30 years ago. I vividly remember the sticky/greasy red checkered tablecloths, the sizzling Sarika Steaks for under 200 Baht, and old Akio quietly sitting at the register with a cigarette permanently fastened to his lips. And then he had that large gaggle of empty bottles of some alcoholic beverage hanging behind the counter for decoration. After coming inside from the blistering heat and nigh time noise from Patpong itself, and into that cool, quiet place, it was a feeling of being instantly being transcended from a rock concert into an oasis of quiet and calm.   

 

I never did figure out what those old bottles were though hanging above and behind the counter? Old Japanese sake bottles perhaps? I also wonder if Trink regularly ate there too?

 

I think Mizu's finally closed down in March 2019 after about a 60 year run. Akio was possibly in his nineties by then.

 

 

 

 

 

[placnx]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

 

 

Edited March 26 by placnx
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[placnx]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

 

 

Edited March 26 by placnx
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[josephbloggs]

1 hour ago, HugoFastor said:

 

Was there also a popular watering on PP2 that could only be reached by entering through the carpark above Foodland supermarket?

Bobby's Arms.

[placnx]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

 

 

Edited March 26 by placnx
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[placnx]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

Never understood the Trink worship. His column was an abomination, just cut and pasted rubbish from emails, lame jokes, and silly cliches. Even his book reviews were poor. He was a talentless man who somehow made a living from it (kudos to him for that), and I never understood why the Bangkok Post kept him for so long.

But no, never met him.

I believe that his column replaced one by "Maew Mong", a foreigner perhaps named Halliday, who did great Bangkok restaurant reviews. I tried some of these relatively obscure spots - quite impressed. I didn't like Trink's column, either.

[it is what it is]

 

i remember a BP writer, roger beaumont, i think, he was pretty good. andrew biggs was fairly humorous

[HugoFastor]

38 minutes ago, josephbloggs said:

Bobby's Arms.

Ah, cheers. 
 

The bottles hanging in Mizu's restaurant were Chianti I believe, an Italian red wine. Not sure if he sold it there or not. Chianti bottles these days are no longer packaged in those straw woven baskets though. 

[Acharn]

I never met Trink, and I suspect his best work was for the Bangkok World, which was out of business before I retired from the Army. I enjoyed reading his column in the Bangkok Post, but it didn't give me any information. Alas, Silom became sleazy and they raised the price of beer at Nana Plaza. I spent most of my time at the Thermae or the Beer Garden on Soi 7, which had great pork chops. In his later years he had quite a bad reputation as a grifter and freeloader.

[thecyclist]

On 3/24/2024 at 9:31 PM, josephbloggs said:

Never understood the Trink worship. His column was an abomination, just cut and pasted rubbish from emails, lame jokes, and silly cliches. Even his book reviews were poor. He was a talentless man who somehow made a living from it (kudos to him for that), and I never understood why the Bangkok Post kept him for so long.

But no, never met him.

Not an abomination, but, yeah, lots of cliches. Especially the one he regurgitated over and over again about the Thailand old hand, a status reserved for only a select few, those that had been in LOS for over 2 decades. He fancied himself as the Supreme old hand ,who can bestow this status on other insiders. Without this knighthood you didn't really know what was going on in the kingdom.

He started out at the evening sister paper of the Bangkok Post, Bangkok Mail or something. His weekly column in that rag was a lot better,  fewer cliches and more inside tips for mongers. When that paper folded, he was transferred to the post, and had to "tone down " his nightlife reports, no more tips of where to find the cheapest hookers, instead weekly warnings about relationships with bargirls. He was very proud of the fact that he was married to a school teacher.I saw him several times walking down Sukhumvit. Once he and his wife were sitting in front of me in a movie theater. His wife was as unappealing as he was. ,if that is possible. But she wasn't a bargirl. 

[thecyclist]

On 3/25/2024 at 1:03 PM, HugoFastor said:

Thinking back to the Trink era, one of the most interesting things about Bangkok at that time was how a lot of Bangkok had been developed in the sixties and seventies and then very little of it changed up until around the year 2,000.
 

So if you came here in the eighties or nineties, you often felt like you were entering a time warp, whilst visiting a place that very much still seemed stuck in an era from two to three decades past.
 

It almost felt like some sort of social experiment was taking place, with much of the western music, food, and decor preserved in the bars and restaurants, as they reflected those elements from the times decades earlier. Many were Western elements that had already perished in the West, only to be found in personal antique collections, but yet still very much present in modern popular culture in Bangkok. Then, with the juxtaposition of all the SE Asian food, people and culture mixed in, it was a fascinating place like no other. 
 

Even Trink walking around with suspenders, and his big brass owl talisman hanging from his neck, seemed like something out of an era gone by, but yet it had its perfect place in Bangkok. 
 

Then things changed rapidly in Bangkok around the turn of the century and nearly all the memories and iconography from the previous 3 decades felt like they were wiped out in one fast swoop and, thus the fascinating experiment of the Western cultural time warp in the East was suddenly over. 

 

Since then Bangkok started making vast efforts to emulate the look and feel of a combination of Tokyo, Hong Kong and Singapore, with all of its rapid and ongoing redevelopment and, thus its special grit and unique flavor suddenly perished. 🥲

Not that much changed in the eighties, but the construction boom started a lot earlier than 2000.I would say late eighties to the crash in 1997 was the most rapid development. Lots of high rises went up, the expressways and skytrain ,and ,worst of all, one shopping mall after the other was built. It all came crashing down with the Tom Yum Kung crisis of 1997. 

Took a few years for the economy to pick up again, but the changes after 2000 weren't as "dramatic " as the ones in the nineties. 

[thecyclist]

27 minutes ago, Acharn said:

I never met Trink, and I suspect his best work was for the Bangkok World, which was out of business before I retired from the Army. I enjoyed reading his column in the Bangkok Post, but it didn't give me any information. Alas, Silom became sleazy and they raised the price of beer at Nana Plaza. I spent most of my time at the Thermae or the Beer Garden on Soi 7, which had great pork chops. In his later years he had quite a bad reputation as a grifter and freeloader.

That's probably why he kept repeating and insisting that he never accepted anything more than a free diet coke on his rounds. 

[thecyclist]

On 3/24/2024 at 10:07 PM, josephbloggs said:

Here's an interview with him: https://coconuts.co/bangkok/features/night-prowl-legendary-lechery-bernard-nite-owl-trink/

Interesting story in there about the 10 baht hooker with leprosy.

 

Sadly he totally lost the plot when he started preaching that you don't get HIV from unprotected sex. I mean how can you have someone saying that in a national newspaper? So irresponsible. And it wasn't just a blip, it was a constant theme. He said use condoms to prevent pregnancy or other STDs, but don't worry about HIV - it's a myth.

He also had some very dubious encounters with underaged girls.

Maybe he was a nice guy in person, but for me he should have been fired from the Post years before he actually was - he was actually pretty creepy.

Was he really fired?

They terminated his night owl column, but he kept doing his book reviews for ages after that. 

[josephbloggs]

54 minutes ago, thecyclist said:

Was he really fired?

They terminated his night owl column, but he kept doing his book reviews for ages after that. 

True, but they got phased out after a couple of years.

 

So "downscaled" rather than "fired"...