Did Anyone Know Trink?

[HugoFastor]

An interesting read from the early nineties, away from the nightlife, was:

 

"What the Buddha Never Taught: A 'Behind the Robes" Account of Life in a Thai Forest Monastery" by Tim Ward. 
 

And on a more lighthearted note, you have these 2 from the early nineties:

 

Waylaid By the Bimbos by James Eckardt

Kicking Dogs by Collin Piprell

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/28/2024 at 10:37 PM, nauseus said:

 

So we can blame women drivers?

?????????????????????????????

 

The poster was of a woman and likely the drivers having accidents were males.

I blame the idiots that thought putting up a poster of an extremely attractive women where it was likely to cause accidents was a good idea. I don't know if they were women though.

[thaibeachlovers]

7 hours ago, Prubangboy said:

The beauty of this comment is that you said the exact same thing, like 18 months ago.

 

Prediction: this book will remain un-dug out.

I'm touched that you would even remember what I wrote 18 months ago. I don't, and I won't remember this conversation in even 18 days.

To read it I'd have to find it and it's likely that by the time I get to look for it I'll have forgotten why I was looking. Such is the joy of old age.

Not all bad though, as I can watch the same DVD as long as it's 6 months since I watched it previously.

[Prubangboy]

Just now, thaibeachlovers said:

I'm touched that you would even remember what I wrote 18 months ago. I don't, and I won't remember this conversation in even 18 days.

To read it I'd have to find it and it's likely that by the time I get to look for it I'll have forgotten why I was looking. Such is the joy of old age.

Not all bad though, as I can watch the same DVD as long as it's 6 months since I watched it previously.

Give it a miss. It was a hard read back in the day. Now? Prob incomprehensible.

 

Worth a wiki-skim about her mad life, tho.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/29/2024 at 12:38 AM, thecyclist said:

Trink did write about Pattaya. I think once a month or so he would visit, and devote a few paragraphs to sin city. 

I guess I missed them then. I had to make do with donations from a friend that had the paper posted to him in Saudi, so I didn't get them all.

[thaibeachlovers]

4 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

Give it a miss. It was a hard read back in the day. Now? Prob incomprehensible.

 

Worth a wiki-skim about her mad life, tho.

Which is probably why I never read it. I was probably thinking it was the book I borrowed that had the story about one Patpong BG setting another BG's hair on fire, but that was more a guide to Patpong than a story.

 

I'll always regret that before I left Singapore, posted back to NZ, I had the money to buy some good stereo speakers or go back to Bkk for a week and I chose the speakers.

In my defense though, I wasn't very impressed by Bkk in the 70s, and IMO it wasn't as great as it was when I went back many years later. A sleazy GI bar/ brothel wasn't the best way to find out about the glories of Bkk behind the facade.

[thaibeachlovers]

6 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

An interesting read from the early nineties, away from the nightlife, was:

 

"What the Buddha Never Taught: A 'Behind the Robes" Account of Life in a Thai Forest Monastery" by Tim Ward. 
 

And on a more lighthearted note, you have these 2 from the early nineties:

 

Waylaid By the Bimbos by James Eckardt

Kicking Dogs by Collin Piprell

Just for interest, here's Eckardt and Piperell at a book sale event ( my photo )

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/29/2024 at 3:11 PM, flexomike said:

First went up there in 1968, Don't forget the Dusit Thani Hotel would have been open in the early 70's, I watched them build it with bamboo scaffolding 

Sadly I don't have any photos from that visit to Thailand that I have scanned, so I can't refresh my memory.

[thaibeachlovers]

On 3/26/2024 at 4:05 AM, HugoFastor said:

The Honey Hotel on Suk Soi 19 is the one I think you were referring to.

One of my photos of Honey Hotel.

[thaibeachlovers]

and another

[Prubangboy]

8 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

 

 

"What the Buddha Never Taught: A 'Behind the Robes" Account of Life in a Thai Forest Monastery" by Tim Ward. 
 

 

 

A droll, perfect book, now out of print.

 

Since then Ajahn Chah, the abbot, has grown a lot in popularity. Jack Kornfeld, a very famous meditation teacher, collected some of lectures into a book.

 

I recently saw a Reddit post of someone who wanted to meditate in the Ajahn Chat tradition. Tthere isn't such a place. The forest wat outside Ubon will let you pop in for a breakfast, but after 3 days, it's head-shaving time. 

 

Some Thai's know of him. The comment I've gotten a few times is that he wouldn't allow amulets to be made, since it was idol worship.

[HugoFastor]

38 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

A droll, perfect book, now out of print.

 

Since then Ajahn Chah, the abbot, has grown a lot in popularity. Jack Kornfeld, a very famous meditation teacher, collected some of lectures into a book.

 

I recently saw a Reddit post of someone who wanted to meditate in the Ajahn Chat tradition. Tthere isn't such a place. The forest wat outside Ubon will let you pop in for a breakfast, but after 3 days, it's head-shaving time. 

 

Some Thai's know of him. The comment I've gotten a few times is that he wouldn't allow amulets to be made, since it was idol worship.

There is a 2013 republished/reprinted 20th anniversary edition of Tim's book available on Amazon in paperback for around $17 and a kindle version too I believe. 
 

It appears you can also download the original book for free from archives.org in either ePub or PDF formats. Or just read it online from the link below: 

 

https://archive.org/details/whatthebuddhanevertaughttimward_48_B

Also, did anyone read the book that was written about Trink titled "But, I don't give a hoot!" by Jennifer Bliss?

[Prubangboy]

4 minutes ago, HugoFastor said:

 

Also, did anyone read the book that was written about Trink titled "But, I don't give a hoot!" by Jennifer Bliss?

I scooped up a copy on Khao San Road for 60 baht in 2022. Not bad; a 3-crap book.

 

Khao San Road is (understandably) a shadow of its former used book-self.

 

Edited March 30 by Prubangboy

[HugoFastor]

11 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

I scooped up a copy on Khao San Road for 60 baht in 2022. Not bad; a 3-crap book.

 

Khao San Road is (understandably) a shadow of its former used book-self.

 

 

That was a good find for 60 Baht. I probably would have grabbed it too out of curiosity.

 

I haven't been down to KSR looking at used books though since the nineties. I used to see some interesting used books at JJ market, also many years ago.

 

I assume you read "Inside Thai Society" by Niels Mulder at some point? I think it was first published in 1979 by DK Books in Thailand.  

[HugoFastor]

4 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Just for interest, here's Eckardt and Piperell at a book sale event ( my photo )

 

Looks like Asia Books at Emporium. Those two books I mentioned weren't literary masterpieces, but they were fun reads when I read them curiously around 30 years ago. 

 

 

[Prubangboy]

Guns, Girls, Gambling, Ganja is another classic from venerable Silkworm Press (now 25% off):

 

https://silkwormbooks.com/products/guns-girls-gambling-ganja

 

Sometimes, the books are just dry reprints of somebody's thesis, but I have at least a half dozen Silkworm Press books under my belt.

[HugoFastor]

15 minutes ago, Prubangboy said:

Guns, Girls, Gambling, Ganja is another classic from venerable Silkworm Press (now 25% off):

 

https://silkwormbooks.com/products/guns-girls-gambling-ganja

 

Sometimes, the books are just dry reprints of somebody's thesis, but I have at least a half dozen Silkworm Press books under my belt.

 

I bought and read that book in the late nineties. Probably gave it away to someone after reading it. Despite the provocative title, I believe it was a clinical analysis of the gray market economies in Thailand by two PhD writers from Chula. It was interesting I thought. Can also read it online for free here: https://archive.org/details/gunsgirlsgamblin0000pasu

 

Here is one that had no literary value, and not worth reading IMHO, but might be interesting just to flip through for the historical value of some of the B&W photos from that period:

 

https://archive.org/details/mywifeinbangkok00omer/mode/2up

Edited March 30 by HugoFastor

[nauseus]

6 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

?????????????????????????????

 

The poster was of a woman and likely the drivers having accidents were males.

I blame the idiots that thought putting up a poster of an extremely attractive women where it was likely to cause accidents was a good idea. I don't know if they were women though.

 

Just a joke - not blaming anybody.

[Stanton681]

On 3/28/2024 at 5:25 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

When the poster you quoted comes out with garbage like the below quote, one knows he's full of it, as e mails didn't exist when I was reading Trink's column.

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

His column was an abomination, just cut and pasted rubbish from emails,

That’s right. Thankfully, this bitter attitude, evident lack of knowledge and his sour opinions aren’t shared by the majority here.

—————————————————

HugoFastor’s posts (which are neither pro nor anti-Trink) bring back memories of long lost, hugely enjoyable days in BKK 🙂

 

 

Edited March 30 by Stanton681

[flexomike]

7 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

Sadly I don't have any photos from that visit to Thailand that I have scanned, so I can't refresh my memory.

My ex has all of my photos 

[wordchild]

On 3/28/2024 at 8:06 AM, HugoFastor said:

A house on Soi 11? Still to this day? Don't recall ever seeing one. 30 years ago a friend of mine used to stay there at the Grand President in a serviced apartment. I would go down there to meet him. Wasn't much on that Soi back then in the way of restaurants or bars. Only a few. There was mainly an Italian place I think and The Federal Hotel coffee shop. Living there now must be a wasteland of noise at night though. 

still some single houses , but deep into the soi down toward the khlong, also down 11/1 , again heading toward the khlong.  

[HugoFastor]

On 3/28/2024 at 6:22 AM, thaibeachlovers said:

On my first visit to Bkk in the 70s, we went up the Golden Mount, which must have been the highest point in all of Bkk, and almost all we could see were shop houses. There may have been some buildings over 3 stories, but very few.

I have the photos some where. I'll have to see if I can find them to see if that is a proper memory.

I did some checking on the tallest buildings in Bangkok dating back to the early nineteen hundreds and they were as follows:

 

1925-26 Nai Loed buiding near Phitthayasathian Bridge (Saphan lek Lang), 7 stories. 

1927-1937 - Phraya Sombat Phaisan building, Yaowarat Rd, Yaowarat. 9 stories. 

1966 June - AIA (American International Assurance) building, Surawongse Rd, Silom. 10 stories. 

1970 February - Cathay Trust Building (Esso Building), Rama IV Rd, Silom. 12 stories. 

1970 - Dusit Thani Hotel, Rama IV Rd, Silom. 

 

1970 - Rama 1 Hotel, Rama IV Rd/Surawongse Rd, now called The Montien Hotel. 
 

As we know, the Dusit Thani hotel was recently demolished. Not sure how many stories it was though, but I think it was about 82 meters tall.
 

Also, not sure exactly how tall the Montien Hotel is, but it and the Dusit Thani were both the two tallest building in Bangkok in the early seventies until the Royal Orchid Sheraton was then built in the late seventies. 
 

Then, in the early eighties it was The Bangkok Bank Building on Silom that became the tallest and eventually Baiyoke in the late eighties. Then it went on from there. 

Edited March 30 by HugoFastor

[HugoFastor]

35 minutes ago, wordchild said:

still some single houses , but deep into the soi down toward the khlong, also down 11/1 , again heading toward the khlong.  

Thanks. I had been thinking of the main section of the Soi and had forgotten about further down into the Soi after the left and the right turns. Right after where Q-Bar used to be there is at one small dead-end Soi of townhouses on the left, and then further down, after the junction of the cut through Soi that leads to Soi 3, I think it is high rise buildings mainly until the end of the Soi with Kallista Mansion being the last building on the right. 

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

Also, did anyone read the book that was written about Trink titled "But, I don't give a hoot!" by Jennifer Bliss?

It's vaguely possible I have a copy somewhere, but I never read it. I went through a period of buying interesting books to read after I retire, but I never considered that modern technology would occupy all the time I used to have to read. Now they are all in storage and likely will be sent to an op shop after i pass over, still unread. I don't remember buying it, but that would apply to most of the books in storage.

 

I'd offer to send it to you if I do have it ( after reading it of course ) but I would need to find it first and that would be a problem, so, no promises.

[thaibeachlovers]

12 hours ago, Stanton681 said:

That’s right. Thankfully, this bitter attitude, evident lack of knowledge and his sour opinions aren’t shared by the majority here.

—————————————————

HugoFastor’s posts (which are neither pro nor anti-Trink) bring back memories of long lost, hugely enjoyable days in BKK 🙂

 

 

and they really were hugely enjoyable days. I used to stay in Uncle Ray's guest house behind the Dynasty Inn for, I think, 400 baht a night. Wasn't the cleanest place in town, no elevator, no room service, but the reception was friendly, it was cheap and guest friendly. Ray's long gone of course. I'd spend my days rambling on foot all over Bkk, with buses for the longer stretches and got to know it pretty well, but most of that will all be gone of course.

Breakfast was originally at a German restaurant just up the road from Dynasty with it's share of ladies that always hung around drinking coffee ( I was so naive back then that I wondered what they did to earn money to sit around all day, LOL ) and in later years at Took Lai Dee, where one could strike up a conversation with strangers, and dinner was at Tom's Quick, very close to the entrance to Nana Plaza. The latter had a "dragon lady" boss who used to glare at me while I ate. I fed quite a few young ladies in that place in my time. Tom's long gone of course, along with the dragon lady.

 

IMO the pace of life was at a more livable speed back then. Now it's just rushing around and never stopping to look at what is going on.

[thaibeachlovers]

14 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

 

Looks like Asia Books at Emporium. Those two books I mentioned weren't literary masterpieces, but they were fun reads when I read them curiously around 30 years ago. 

 

 

I really don't remember which mall it was in. But I did spend some time in the Emporium, if that is the one on the other side of the road from Cowboy but further down towards the bus station. I used to go to a lot of movies in various malls, but mainly in the World Trading Center, since renamed.

[Hanuman2547]

19 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

 

Also, did anyone read the book that was written about Trink titled "But, I don't give a hoot!" by Jennifer Bliss?

Yes, I read it.  It was a fairly good read about someone who had his supporters and detractors.  

[wordchild]

18 hours ago, HugoFastor said:

Thanks. I had been thinking of the main section of the Soi and had forgotten about further down into the Soi after the left and the right turns. Right after where Q-Bar used to be there is at one small dead-end Soi of townhouses on the left, and then further down, after the junction of the cut through Soi that leads to Soi 3, I think it is high rise buildings mainly until the end of the Soi with Kallista Mansion being the last building on the right. 

I used to live down the end of soi 11  and I dont know if they are still there, but there used to be 2 or 3 single houses tucked away on the opposite side of the soi , before you get to Kallista at the end.

[HugoFastor]

9 hours ago, thaibeachlovers said:

I really don't remember which mall it was in. But I did spend some time in the Emporium, if that is the one on the other side of the road from Cowboy but further down towards the bus station. I used to go to a lot of movies in various malls, but mainly in the World Trading Center, since renamed.

It has the Emporium logo on the tablecloth in your photo. There was an Asia Books there by the back escalator. Don't know if it is still there as I haven't been to Emporium in years, but I suspect it's gone. In the nineties I used to mainly buy books at either the Asia Books branch in The Landmark Hotel or the one on Sukhumvit Road close to Robinsons between Soi 15 and Soi 17. Both those branches are gone now too I think. 

[HugoFastor]

4 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

Yes, I read it.  It was a fairly good read about someone who had his supporters and detractors.  

There was a short, interesting article written about Trink and that book in Time Magazine in 2000 titled "A Walk on the Wild Side".

Jennifer Bliss worked with Trink at the BP as a sub-editor. She wrote the book as an unauthorized biography about Trink, but Trink said it was a fair assessment.
 

I believe it was probably well written and probably worth a read I think. The Time article lays out a number of points about the book and is written like a book review. 

 

You can read this short article published by Time in their archives on the link below:

 

https://time.com/archive/6954971/a-walk-on-the-wild-side/