Jim Thompson House

The Jim Thompson House was the Bangkok home of James H. W. Thompson, an American who settled in Thailand after the Second World War and built up the Thai silk industry, earning the nickname of the Thai Silk King. He assembled the house in the late 1950s from several traditional teak buildings, some of them brought from elsewhere, and set them in a garden beside the Saen Saep canal. In 1967 he vanished while on holiday in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, and the mystery of his disappearance has never been solved. The house and his Asian art collection are now run as a museum.

The main house can only be seen on a guided tour. Guides lead small groups through the raised rooms, explaining how Thompson combined Thai building traditions with Western comforts, and pointing out his collection of Buddha images, Chinese porcelain, Burmese carvings and paintings. Look out for the way the walls lean slightly inwards, a feature of traditional Thai teak houses, and for the raised thresholds between rooms. Shoes come off before you go in. Afterwards you are free to wander the lush garden, and the neighbouring Jim Thompson Art Center runs temporary exhibitions on textiles and contemporary art.

The museum is open every day from 10:00 to 17:00. Tours run in Thai, English, French, Chinese and Japanese, and reservations are not required, although tickets are also sold online through the official website. Adults pay a standard fee; visitors aged 10 to 21 with ID pay a reduced rate, and children under 10 accompanied by an adult enter free. The museum warns visitors to buy only through its authorised channels.

It suits anyone interested in design, architecture or Thai crafts, and it is a calm break from the shopping malls nearby. Allow around an hour for the tour and garden. The raised house involves steps, so it is not fully accessible. Weekday mornings are generally the quietest.

The house is at the end of Soi Kasemsan 2, off Rama 1 Road, a short walk from National Stadium BTS station. The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, MBK Center and Siam Square are all within ten minutes on foot, and the Saen Saep canal boats stop at nearby Hua Chang pier.