BANGKOK, Thailand - Down a quiet, narrow nondescript lane just off one of the Bangkok’s busy thoroughfares, the graceful, red tile roofs of a traditional Thai home rise above a lush tropical garden set in serene contrast to the city’s daily clamor. This was once the home of American entrepreneur Jim Thompson and today, it stands as a memorial to not only this remarkable man who single handedly revived Thailand’s silk industry, but also his love for Thailand and Thai culture.
The front entrance to Jim Thompson’s house|
Located not far from Siam Square and the National Stadium in the heart of Bangkok, Thompson’s traditional residence is one of the city’s more popular destinations. While Thompson’s silk stores around the world (there is one in Apkujong) have made people more aware of Thai silk, many people come to his residence wanting to know more about the man who contributed much to Thailand’s silk industry.
``Most of the tourists know a little about Jim Thompson when they come here,’’ said Pimjai Chanmeuang, a tour guide at the residence. ``They know how he revived Thailand’s silk industry, but what they really want to know is why he disappeared.’’
Thompson’s mysterious disappearance in 1967 while hiking in the Cameron Highlands in Malaysia has added much to the intrigue associated with this man and his unwavering efforts to the silk business. To be sure, there is no way to appreciate this residence without first knowing a little about this man.
Thompson, who was born in the United States in 1906, was a practicing architect prior to World War II. After volunteering for military service, he campaigned in Europe as a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and later came to Asia as part of the force that hoped to help restore Thailand’s full freedom and independence. Arriving in Thailand just days after the war ended, he immediately fell in love with the beauty and the friendliness of the country and its people.
Upon his discharge from the military, Thompson decided to settle down in Thailand. After working on a project for a year to restore the world famous Oriental Hotel, Thompson’s interests turned to more commercial possibilities. The hand weaving of silk, a long-neglected cottage industry, captured Thompson’s attention and he devoted himself to reviving the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and a textile colorist, he contributed substantially to the industry’s growth and to the worldwide recognition of Thai silk.
A major turning point for Thompson and the industry was the decision to use Thai silk for the stage and film productions of ``The King and I.’’ Soon after, fashion designers and interior decorators around the world were attracted to the beauty of this shimmering fabric. Within a few years, local sales and exports had increased dramatically.
Around the same time Thompson had begun this revival, he also became increasingly interested in Southeast Asian art and domestic Thai architecture. He gained further renown through the construction of his residence in Bangkok by combining six teakwood houses, which represented the best in traditional Thai architecture. Most of the houses were at least two centuries old and were dismantled and brought to the present site from as far away as the old capital of Ayudhya, north of Bangkok.
``The houses were easily dismantled because in a traditional Thai homes pegs are used instead of nails,’’ explained Chanmeuang.
Work on the house began on September 13, 1958, and was completed in April the following year. In his quest for authenticity, 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 red tile roofs were fired in Ayudhya, employing a design common centuries ago but rarely used today. The distinguishable and striking red paint on the outside walls is a preservative often found on many old Thai buildings. Thompson only made a few modern concessions with his new residence: exquisite chandeliers from 18th and 19th century Bangkok palaces.
More subdued than the glittering palaces and temples that attract and enchant visitors to Bangkok, Thompson’s house is elegant and practical. There are few purely decorative touches on a traditional Thai home other than its paneled walls and carved panels below the windows and above the doors. Actually, one of the more interesting features of a Thai house are the raised thresholds which were just as much practical as they were symbolic.
``They help strengthen the walls structurally,’’ said Chanmeuang, ``but they also had a symbolic purpose in keeping evil spirits from entering the room.’’
The raised thresholds were also there to keep babies from crawling outside and falling down as well as keeping animals from coming in, Chanmeuang said smiling.
Throughout the house with its dark teakwood (and sometimes mahogany wood) interior, the rooms are filled with a treasure trove of art and artifacts from Thailand, Cambodia, and other Asian countries including paintings, porcelain, statuary and antique furniture collected by Thompson.
Visitors to the house arrive by way of a lofty entrance hall (actually the rear of the house), which rises two floors and includes both the staircase and the upper landing on two sides. Thompson made one small alteration _ in a traditional Thai home the stairs are located on the outside of the structure. The warm teakwood interior of the entrance hall is complemented with black and white marble floor tiles that came from a Bangkok palace.
The most impressive room of the house in both size and elegance by far is the drawing room that is over two hundred years old. According to Chanmeuang, this room used to be one house that was used by the people who made silk for Thompson. With one side open to a terrace, one of the more interesting features of this room is that one of its walls has been reversed.
|This statue, one of the oldest artifacts in the residence, is just one of many priceless works of art that Thompson collected. |
``He reversed the walls because he wanted to admire the intricate carvings under the window sill,’’ said Chanmeuang.
The only air-conditioned space in Thompson’s residence was his study where he read and wrote letters. In this room the most prominent object on display, which many have considered the most beautiful in Thompson’s entire collection of art, is a standing limestone Buddha from the eighth century.
Equally impressive in the residence are Thompson’s master bedroom _ with its lovely view of the garden and the canal _ and the dining room located opposite the bedroom. The dining room table is actually two ``mahjong’’ tables joined together. Despite the room’s charming appearance, Thompson only ate breakfast there, preferring to dine outdoors on the terrace where he often entertained guests in the evening.
Although the kitchen has long since been removed, the room now houses an exquisite collection of Bencharong. Derived from a Sanskrit term that literally means ``five colors,’’ Bencharong is a multi-colored overglaze enamelware which was made in China exclusively for export to Thailand.
After touring the inside of Thompson’s residence, visitors can also stroll through the lovely, lush tropical garden which beautifully complements Thompson’s home. Other rooms on the premises house more works of art and there is also a spirit house located on the northeast side of the grounds _ a common edifice found outside Thai homes _ to ward off evil spirits and to protect the house.
Approximately 800 visitors a day are drawn to Thompson’s home to marvel at his extraordinary residence, learn more about the man who introduced Thai silk to the world, and find out why he mysteriously disappeared in 1967. While many theories abound regarding his disappearance _ from being eaten by a tiger to being hit by a truck _ the house remains a standing memorial to this remarkable man and his life.
Jim Thompson's House at a Glance
Location: The Jim Thompson House is located on Soi Kasemsan (2) Song, opposite the National Stadium on Rama I Road. Most hotels will help you with directions to the residence.
Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily
Admission: Adults 100 baht; children 50 baht