Jim Thompson (1906 – 1967) is credited with reviving Thailand’s silk weaving industry.
Traditional Thai Architecture
The Jim Thompson House & Museum is located on a quiet alley not far from some of Bangkok’s toniest shopping malls, where the silk scarves and ties and shirts that bear the American expatriate’s name are sold. Comprising six teak houses, they offer a nostalgic look back at what life must have been like in the Thai capital a couple of generations ago.
Representing the best of traditional Thai architecture, they are all at least 200 years old. The complex has been turned into a house museum, furnished the was it was when Jim Thompson was living there. One quirky element is the use of European style crystal chandeliers, which this was popular in Thailand at the time.
Because Thai houses used to be built one story above the ground to avoid flooding during the rainy reason, the ground floors – which would originally have been left vacant – have been converted into shops selling Jim Thompson products as well as a restaurant and a bar. The venue is often rented out for special functions.
Copyright: Michael Taylor
Jim Thompson House & Museum – 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok, Thailand Open Daily from 9 am to 5 pm Tours Every 20 Minutes
Coming Tomorrow: Whatever Happened to Jim Thompson?
Want to Learn More About Jim Thompson?
To learn more about the fascinating life and death of Jim Thompson, Jim Thompson – the Unsolved Mystery is available on Amazon.com. Please click on the following link for more information: Jim Thompson: The Unsolved Mystery