Jim Thompson was an American architect who fought in Europe during World War II. At the end of that campaign, he was transferred to Asia to help restore freedom and independence to Thailand, but the War ended before he saw any action there. He fell in love with the country and its people and decided to live there permanently.
Another thing that Thompson became enamored with was Thai silk. He got involved in the industry and greatly helped elevate Thai silk to world-wide prominence. He even provided textiles for the classic film "The King and I."
As an architect, Thompson had an interest in Thai buildings as well. He eventually bought six teak wood structures, some of which were a few hundred years old, and had them dismanteled and moved to downtown Bangkok. He surrounded his new home with exotic trees and plants that made up a tropical jungle setting.
He also filled the place with wonderful examples of Thai art and sculpture.
The home was Thompson's own personal paradise. The property turned out to be so popular, that Thompson opened his doors to the public and it soon became a must-see tourist attraction. Proceeds from tours were dontated to Thai charities and to the preservation of the country's cultural heritage.
I thought the place was pretty worthwhile. The garden was impressive and the house and art were quite interesting. A tour guide is included with the price of admission and I found it to be an educational experience. One of the more memorable anecdotes was that when Thompson was reconstructing the buildings, he had the walls reversed - Thai buildings of the period were known to have carvings on the outside, but Thompson thought they were so beautiful that he insisted on having them on the inside so that they could be enjoyed by all.
Photographs were allowed outside of the house, but not inside. The only way you could take a picture of the interior was by standing outside. Thus, the quality of some of these shots isn't the greatest.
Like most museum-type spots, the Jim Thompson House has a cafe and a few gift shops. There's also a gallery were silk art and costumes are on display.
In March 1967, Thompson went to Malaysia for a vacation. One day he went for a walk and was never seen again. To this day, no one knows what happened to him and all clues to the case have lead nowhere. To me, the Jim Thompson story would make an excellent premise for a movie, or at the very least an episode of "Unsolved Mysteries" (or perhaps it aleady has, I never really watched that show).
Still, Thompson's legacy lives on at his home and the numerous stores and outlet centers that bear his name around town.
For more information about this cool residence, visit www.jimthompsonhouse.com
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