JIM THOMPSON HOUSE - UTTERLY BEAUTIFUL AND SO DIVINE

The Jim Thompson House is actually made up of six traditional Thai teakwood houses transported from Ayutthaya and I fell instantly and irrevocably in love with it when I visited it some years back. It has everything I like: lots of wood, open gardens, cultural artefacts and details, details, details.

After his discharge from military service in 1946, Jim Thompson decided to settle down in Thailand, where he dedicated over 30 years to reviving the dying Thai silk industry. The same dedication can be seen to be applied to his elegant house, which feels like a living and breathing museum.

The living room is constructed from the 100-year-old wooden house Jim Thompson bought from the Ban Krua Muslim community just across the canal. The villagers at Ban Krua were the first weavers of the Jim Thompson silk brand. Jim Thompson used to row across the canal and back every day, until he decided to build a permanent home here.

On the second storey, you are greeted by a series of decorative wall hangings that Jim Thompson acquired from various Buddhist temples. They tell stories of the Buddha’s spiritual journey towards attaining enlightenment. 

At the entrance, your eyes are drawn to two wall niches displaying a 17th Century standing Buddha and a wooden hand-carved figurine. There's a whimsical throw-up of east-meets-west, with the inclusion of checkered Italian marble tiles.

The dining room is housed inside the 19th Century teakwood villa Thompson bought from its owner in Ayutthaya. On the dining table, a blue-and-white porcelain set is laid out in its full glory.

QUOTE: "As you wander from one room to the next, you can’t help but admire Jim Thompson’s thoughtful eclecticism and meticulous attention to details. His sophisticated taste and in-depth knowledge of Southeast Asian art shine through the rare antique and art collections placed tastefully in each room that enrich the overall ambience, rather than just show off his wealth. While respecting local traditions and customs, he was no slave to them either. The staircase and bathrooms are found indoors, rather than outdoors as you would normally find in traditional Thai homes. Satellite houses, which normally would be linked through an open courtyard area, are all grouped under one roof with a covered walkway. And the decorative window panels, which traditionally face outwards, face in. Jim Thompson’s skillful adaptation of the local style to suit his western upbringing was years ahead of its time, rendering a timeless twist to what would otherwise be labeled as ‘classic’ or simply ‘colonial'."

After Jim Thompson’s mysterious disappearance in 1967 in a Malaysian jungle, a court-appointed administrator, which 10 years later became The James H.W. Thompson Foundation, took over the management of his house and assets. 

• Opening Hours: 09:00-17:00 (last guided tour at 17:00)
• Location: Soi Kasemsan 2, opposite the National Stadium on Rama I Road.
• BTS: National Stadium
• How to get there: Take exit 1 from the BTS National Stadium Station, turn right into Soi Kasemsan 2 and continue walking all the way to the very end. The museum will be on your left-hand side.