Washington Square Demolition Leaves Bangkok’s Elderly Sexpats Lost, Confused

3 Oct 2012

MID-SUKHUMVIT – Bangkok’s senior sex tourist population is facing its greatest crisis in decades as the demolition of the nightlife zone known as Washington Square has left them with nowhere to go.

Dozens, and sometimes up to a hundred portly Western men with bad skin, aged 55-80, have been reported wandering around the Sukhumvit Soi 22 area since June, when final eviction orders forced the closure of Washington Square bars and restaurants, many of which had been open since the 1980s.

Even as wrecking balls and bulldozers take down the six-story shophouses which have stood unchanged since the Vietnam War, many of the faithful patrons of the vanished drinking holes have remained, emerging around dusk to wander aimlessly amidst the wreckage of the only places in Bangkok outside their apartments where they feel comfortable.

“Where is Lone Star?” asked Melvin Summerville, a 68-year-old retiree from the United States. “I can’t find Lone Star. It’s supposed to be right here; it was right here,” he said over and over, pointing to pile of concrete rubble. When asked, Summerville said that he had been going to Lone Star for 16 years without ever going to another bar, and as such was unaware of where else he could get a beer.

When directed towards The Dubliner, a nearby Irish-themed pub, Summerville waved his hand in protest. “Can’t go in there,” he said. “There’s young people in there. And Thai women who have their own money. Can’t go in there, no way.”

He then joined a small group of about seven elderly Caucasian men who were standing silently in the street. Other groups were meandering nearby, perspiring visibly in the humid evening.

According to Thammasat University sociologist Nootaree Kampongrat, the refugee crisis was created by a “perfect storm” of variables, beginning with the unique status of the Washington Square real estate.

“The market value of the land surpassed the income from these cheap bars as early as 1993, but since the landowners wanted to sell the entire 20-rai plot as a single package rather than subdivide it, they had to wait for a buyer,” she said. According to Nootaree, this created what the real estate calls a “rent bog” where low-value businesses are permitted to continue in what otherwise should a be high-rent area.

“Washington Square has been living on borrowed time for 20 years, and so have these men,” she explained. “Meanwhile, they’ve been stuck in a capsule, getting older and even more entrenched in their habits.”

With rents unchanged since the 1970s, many of Washington Square’s bars were able to keep their drink prices artificially low, further isolating their patrons from the new and more upscale establishments that were springing up in the area. Additionally, the refusal of the landowners to upgrade any of the decrepit shophouses in Washington Square prevented the influx of any new businesses aimed at younger or more sophisticated customers.

Even the physical structure of the square was a factor, according to Nootaree. “Washington Square was literally walled off by darkness,” she noted. “It was similar to a cave ecosystem, where the indigenous species evolve in isolation, adapt to their bare resources, and eventually become a new species altogether.”

The possibility that the refugee patrons are suffering from a medical or psychiatric condition has caught the attention of the city government, which has sent in a team of doctors and a medical bus to provide basic services to the estimated 450 bar-less men, who have been reported to be suffering from dehydration, disorientation, and early signs of age-related dementia.

“These people need to be treated as patients,” said Dr Janapat Ruenpongrat, a psychologist on the team who has interviewed and treated many of the victims. “Most of them are 60 years or older, and almost all of them have never eaten or drank outside Washington Square or the Emporium since, well, last century. They’ve lost everything and they’re scared.”

Dr Janapat insisted that medical treatment was a short-term solution at best, and that these deeply sheltered sex tourists would need months of rehabilitation before being able to navigate a modern city like Bangkok on their own.

“They don’t speak Thai. Heck, they barely speak English,” she noted, referring to the truncated pidgin-English used by long-term expats who communicate exclusively with female bar employees and motorcycle taxi drivers.

“Also, they’re kind of poor,” she added. “I mean, just look at their shoes.”

Responding to the crisis, Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra has promised to quickly find new places for the refugees to drink, carouse, and feel unthreatened by anything new, with sois 22 and 9 being vetted as prime candidates.

“Bangkok is better equipped than any city in the world to serve old white men who are uncomfortable with the wider world,” he said. “We are world leaders in providing economically desperate Asian women and unhealthy Western food. As governor I promise that these men will be taken care of.”

“They will live in Bangkok until they die. I promise you that much.”

-- notthenation 2012-10-03

Edited October 5, 201213 yr by george

hits pretty close to home for some i reckon

My condolences to the victims.

Even the physical structure of the square was a factor, according to Nootaree. “Washington Square was literally walled off by darkness,” she noted. “It was similar to a cave ecosystem, where the indigenous species evolve in isolation, adapt to their bare resources, and eventually become a new species altogether.”

So true....

Responding to the crisis, Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra has promised to quickly find new places for the refugees to drink, carouse, and feel unthreatened by anything new, with sois 22 and 9 being vetted as prime candidates.

Hope he can build a giant tunnel connecting Sukh 22 to Cowboy and Nana.

The first time I was in Bkk, Washington Square didn't exist. Dam I'm old!

Responding to the crisis, Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra has promised to quickly find new places for the refugees to drink, carouse, and feel unthreatened by anything new, with sois 22 and 9 being vetted as prime candidates.

Hope he can build a giant tunnel connecting Sukh 22 to Cowboy and Nana.

There's plenty of them going cheap in the area.

Anyway. Bless their cotton socks.

Wow, I went there for the first time a few months ago with a client.

The place looked like absolute crap, I mean I still enjoyed myself as I can anywhere, but yeah it looked like it was about to all fall down anyways.

Anyone got pictures?

• Forget the first time I went there but circa 1985 or so. No Lonestar but the Silver $$ was there.
  

Mac

If the help agencies gave them a "Home Brew" kit each, I'm sure it would go a long way in helping them to adapt to a new way of life.

TV the end of an error.

Edited October 4, 201213 yr by kennedy

Lol. .....'medical or psychiatric condition ...'. No mention of whether they were pre-existing.

If that place could only talk.

You were there for me when I needed you, I touched you deep inside... R.I.P., Washington Square, R.I.P.

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

I would imagine that was an intentional pun on the OP's behalf...

RIP Washington Square

Edited October 4, 201213 yr by submaniac

Yet another act of malice against fat people with acne!

I'm in there now, wandering around lost.

How do I get out?

Does anyone know where I can find another 80 year old hooker?

What can I do about my skin condition?

Sent from my 15 pound, 1980's era cell phone.

I'm in there now, wandering around lost.

How do I get out?

Does anyone know where I can find another 80 year old hooker?

What can I do about my skin condition?

Sent from my 15 pound, 1980's era cell phone.

Not sure about your skin but you'll find the 'girl' you're looking for at the cocktail lounge in NaNa's largest hotel.

Responding to the crisis, Bangkok Governor Sukhumband Paribatra has promised to quickly find new places for the refugees to drink, carouse, and feel unthreatened by anything new, with sois 22 and 9 being vetted as prime candidates.

Hope he can build a giant tunnel connecting Sukh 22 to Cowboy and Nana.

I'm thinking somewhere in Iraq or Afghanistan!

If that place could only talk.

It would be utter BS in a loud,American accent!

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

I would imagine that was an intentional pun on the OP's behalf...

I am afraid, the original title was the correct one, lends itself much better to the reason of the post.

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

I would imagine that was an intentional pun on the OP's behalf...

I am afraid, the original title was the correct one, lends itself much better to the reason of the post.

This part of the thread gave me the best chuckle so far....

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

who are you to say what i meant? I was quite clear.

Blimey, the replies here show the delusion, denial and sheer hypocrisy of the average TV poster.

I suppose none of them of course has ever even been in a bar.....

Topic title has been edited, it wasn't an End Of An Error, rather an End Of An Era.

I would imagine that was an intentional pun on the OP's behalf...

I believe End of an Error would be a Clinton Plaza post. So I assume End of an Era is ok for this post.

Blimey, the replies here show the delusion, denial and sheer hypocrisy of the average TV poster.

I suppose none of them of course has ever even been in a bar.....

how so? i see very few comments beyond discussion of the very intentional title. I would like an example of this hypocrisy you speak of because i cant seem to find one, at least not in this thread.

Edited October 5, 201213 yr by tinfoilhat