Jim Thompson's House, Bangkok

The Jim Thompson's House is one of the best preserved traditional Thai houses in Bangkok city.

Jim Thompson, an American, a former member of the US Office of Strategic Services came to Thailand during the World War II. He revived the flagging silk weaving industry later at the end of the war.

Jim Thompson disappeared under mysterious circumstances in the
Cameron Highlands in Malaysia in 1967.

In the Jim Thompson House compound you will be
guided to see many interesting collection of antiques
and artworks from all over Southeast Asian region. The house has a restaurant and a shop where you can find the best thai silk. Things are a bit pricy though.

It's open every day at 9 a.m and the last tour begins at 4.30 p.m. The admission is 100 baht.

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check the house of Jim thompson, the foreigner who opted to stay in Thailand and made the thai silk business booming . He got lost in Malaysia in the 70s and was never found until today. His house was converted into a museum and thai silk store and restaurant. for authentic thai house architecture, check out his house!

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First of all, you have to walk a relative long distance if you go by BTS, then you have to wait until they have a guide available, (we had to wait 40 minutes) to be able to see the famous house, which doesn’t have many extraordinary things that worth it, is boring, and of course you can’t take photos inside just outside that even is beautiful, the house and gardens, I think is expensive and they make lost your time.
Finally they have a café and the shop that is very expensive. The silk is good quality but if you go to Chiang Mai wait until get there to buy. You've already contributed to the organization paying that ticket that cost 250 bath per person which is expensive in comparison with other much better atractions.

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On a previous holiday we tried to find Jim Thompson's but got lost, this time we walked an extra 50 metres and arrived, it was well worth the second effort. Jim Thompson was an American who arrived in Thailand as a milatary intelligence officer after WW2 and on leaving the service decided to live in Thailand.
Before the war he had been an architect and he now entered the the world of hand weaving of silk where he is credited with substantially contributing to the development of this industry and gaining world recognition for Thai Silk.
He also is remembered for the construction of his house which combined 6 teak buildings in traditional architecture, these buildings being centuries old. The house and associated buildings are magnificent, set in beautiful gardens it is a pleasure to take the guided tour with an English speaking guide and later walk through and relax in the garden prior to visiting the silk retail showroom.
The home is beautifully fiurnished with Thai furniture and antiques complimented with other antiques collected from neighbouring countries. Photos are not allowed whilst within the house, admission is 100 baht .

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Jim,an american settled in Thailand at the end od 2nd world war.He is an architect by profession and used to work as a CIA operative.He disappeared without a trace in Camerons Highland,Malaysia in 1962.That year was the yr. of the Horse ,notably Jim was born in the yr of the horse.The Chinese cycle is 12 years with each year depicted by an animal.During the year that concur with yr birth animal you have to be very careful as it is not auspicious.Tread with Caution!!!!That may explains the mysterious disappearance.
He contributed to the revival of Thai's Silk Industry.Using motiffs (inspired by his love for Chinese pottery), for creation of designs on silk ties,scarfs...
In rememberance of his contributions,His residence was preserved together with his rich collection of Asian art,antiques,potteries n paintings as a public museum under the sponsor of a Thai princess.His collections and house decor reflected his acumen for the finer things of life.
The Thai house (main hall) flanked by 2 side wings(1 for dinning n the other wing for sleeping quarters are tastefully furnished ,simple n yet cultured.
The Thai garden shrine to ward off evil spirits is located on the north east corner so that no shadows will fall on it.Open 9 am to 4.30,admission B100(30mins guided tour)

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Jim Thompson came to Bangkok as an American intelligence officer after WWII and set about building the country's silk industry. Through him, new techniques and silk worms are introduced that produced higher yields. Evetually, Thompson hit it big, bought 6 teak houses over 100 years old and combined them to make an estate. As a lover of Thai art, he filled his home with valuable pieces. The man mysteriously disappeared in Malaysia's Cameron Highlands in the 60s.
I had a wonderful time here, it's like an oasis of calm and peace in the madness of traffic and tuk-tuk and super pussy in Patpong. Phew. Entrance fee is 100 Baht. You can only go in once they have enough people to go in a group, with a guide of couse, if only I understand what my guide was saying, with her unique Thai-English accent. No photos allowed in the house. Also, there is a nice restaurant by a pond with a lot of fishes and a souvenier shop for you to splurge on silk products. Man, they are expensive!

Folks who love Thai silk or Thai architecture should not miss Jim Thompson's House.

Jim Thompson came to SE Asia during WW2 and soon found opportunities that would bring fame and wealth. Realising the potential of Thai silk, he almost single-handedly brought global fame to the art of Thai silk weaving.

He was a lover of Thai architecture and travelled throughout Thailand to bring back items that he wanted for his dream house. Sometimes, houses were brought back plank by plank and rebuilt. Folks would not miss the european styled black & white marble tiles at the basement of the main galley - these were from a palace that was about to be torn down and he salvaged it.

Jim Thompson disappeared in the highlands of the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia in 1967 and the house was eventually returned back to the Thai government under a trusteeship.

You are not allowed to wander around on your own. Compulsory guided tours (in groups of different languages) were given for visitors and you will be guided from room to room, hall to hall. The house is tasteful designed and rich with architecture gems. Take your time to marvel at the beauty of Jim's House and imagine yourself in his shoes.

There is a cafe/restaurant for folks wanting a drink/or a meal and of course, you can't really be in Jim's House without taking a look (and buying) the product that he made famous, wouldn't it? There is an in-house boutique selling products made from Thai silks as well as momentos for your visit.

Opening Hours : 09:00 to 17:00 everyday with the last Guided Tour at 16:30*

Admission : Adult 100 baht; Students 50 baht

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Famous for his influence on the production of silk and his sudden disappearance on a stroll in Malaysia, Jim Thompson's House is now a museum showing his Western influence on a traitional Thai house. Full of memorabilia i.e. vases, buddhist statues, tapestries and many more items he picked up on his travels. He puts together objects like a pawn shop door he found in China Town along with other objects he took a liking to during his travels and produced a spectacular oriental house.

There is also a Jim Thompson silk shop where you can get your world famous Jim Thompson silk products.