This remarkable
Thai-style house at the end of Soi Kasemsan 2 opposite the National
Stadium on Rama I Road has been assembled by Jim Thompson
of six older Thai houses. US citizen Jim Thompson was born in
Greenville, Delaware in 1906. A practicing architect prior
to World War II, he served as a volunteer in the US Army and came
to Asia as part of a force that was to liberate Thailand. The
war ended before the operation began.
A few days
after the end of the war, he arrived in Bangkok as a military
intelligence officer attached to the OSS (which later became
the CIA). After leaving the service he decided to return and adopted
Thailand as his permanent home.
The hand weaving
of silk cloth, a long-neglected cottage industry, captured
Jim Thompson's attention, and he devoted himself to promoting
the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist,
he contributed substantially to the growth of the industry and
to the worldwide recognition accorded Thai silk.
He gained
further fame by constructing this house, combining six traditional
teak buildings that represented the best of Thai domestic
architecture. Most of the houses were at least two centuries
old; since they were prefabricated in sections, they were easily
dismantled and brought to their present site from various locations,
some from as far away as the old capital of Ayutthaya.
In his quest
for authenticity, Jim Thompson adhered to the customs of
the early builders in most respects. The houses were elevated
a full story above the ground, a practical Thai precaution to
avoid flooding during the rainy season, and the roof tiles
were made in Ayutthaya employing a design common centuries ago
but rarely used today. The red paint on the outside walls
is a preservative commonly found on many old Thai buildings. The
chandeliers were equipped with light bulbs as a concession
to modern convenience, but even they belong to a past era, originating
from 18th and 19th century Bangkok palaces.
All the traditional
religious prescriptions were followed during the construction
of the house, and in the spring of 1959, on the date decreed as
being auspicious by astrologers, Jim Thompson moved in.
The house and the art collection soon became so famous
that he decided to open it to the public with all proceeds going
to Thai charities.
On March 27,
1967, Jim Thompson disappeared while on a visit to the
Cameron Highlands in Malaysia. (This writer was told that
he did not pick an auspicious day for travel.) Not a single valid
clue has turned up during the ensuing years as to what might have
happened to him.
His famous
Thai house, however, remains as a lasting reminder of his creative
ability and his deep love for Thailand. It is now a museum.
On permanent display are, aside from the structure of the house
itself, Mr. Thompson's collection of antique Asian artifacts,
such as blue-white chinaware, Cambodian stone figures, Bencharong
(a multi-colored porcelain made in Thailand in a technique originating
from China), wooden Burmese statues and much more.
In 1976, the
Thai court-appointed administrator for the property of Jim Thompson
received permission from the government to establish the James
H.W. Thompson Foundation. The property he left behind was
vested in the foundation. By virtue of the dictates of its charter,
the Foundation is committed to expand its patronage of the
Thai arts. An active program for scholarships has been established
and more projects are in the planning stages.
Jim Thompson's
House is open Mon-Sat 9:00-16:30. Admission fee is 100 Baht.
Volunteer guides explain the collection to visitors. By the way:
visitors have to step over raised door ledges which are
supposed to bar the passage of unfriendly spirits (and possibly
snakes).
