Jim Thompson House - The lovely garden-enclosed
compound sitting on the bank of the Saen Saeb Canal would have gone
completely unnoticed, had it not been for a legacy left behind by a
middle-aged American man named Jim Thompson. His elegant residential
enclave, comprising six traditional.An
architect by training and an avid collector of Asian objets d’art, Jim
Thompson’s keen eyes and flair for design breathed life into everything
he touched. After his discharge from military service in 1946, Jim
Thompson decided to settle down in Thailand, where he dedicated over 30
years to reviving Thai silk – then a dying cottage industry – and
introduced it to the world’s most respectable fashion houses and
catwalks in Paris, New York, London and Milan. The same goes for his
Thai house, which was no ordinary teakwood villa complex filled with
incongruous collections of antiques, but a breathing museum – even then –
that embodies Jim Thompson’s life-long passion and whimsical design
choices.The Jim Thompson House is a museum in central Bangkok, Thailand,
housing the art collection of American businessman and architect Jim
Thompson, the museum designer and former owner. Built in 1959, the
museum spans one rectangular "rai" of land (approximately half an acre
or 2023.43 meters). It is one of the most popular tourist destinations
in Thailand; sporting vibrant jungle foliage in the heart of the city.
Following his moving to Bangkok and the establishment of the Thai Silk Company Limited in 1948, Thompson also became a major collector of Southeast Asian art, which at the time, was not well-known internationally. Attracted by the subtlety of their craftsmanship and expression, he built a large collection of historical Buddhist statues and traditional Thai paintings made of wood, cloth, and paper that depicted the life of Buddha and the legend of Vessantara Jataka. He collected secular art not only from Thailand but from Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, frequently travelling to those countries on buying trips. His collection also consisted of white and blue porcelain from China, which made its way into Thailand around the 16th and 17th centuries.In 1958, he began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement, a new home to live in and to showcase his art collection. The museum was planned to consist of a complex combination of six traditional Thai-styled houses, primarily constructed of wood, and various old Thai structures that were collected from all parts of Thailand in the 1950s and 1960s.His home sits on a klong (canal) across from Bangkrua, where his weavers were then located. Most of the 19th-century houses were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya, but the largest, a weaver's house (now the living room), came from Bangkrua.After Thompson's disappearance in 1967, the house came under the control of The James H. W. Thompson Foundation under the royal patronage of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. At 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan, only a block away from Bangkok National Stadium, it is open everyday from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. [ICT]. Guided tours are available daily.
The Thai houses that Jim Thompson collected in the 1960's get mentioned prominently in most guide books, but the museum doesn't get many visitors. It is rather off the beaten track, but still worth a visit.Jim Thompson was an American who first came to Thailand as part of the OSS (the military precursor of the CIA) towards the end of World War II. After the war and upon leaving the service, he decided to return to Thailand. He saw the international potential of the almost forgotten cottage industry of silk weaving, and is largely credited with reviving the lost art.Thompson's appreciation of things Thai extended to all of the arts and architecture. Once he had made his "fortune" he began the construction of his house. The collection of six buildings represent some of the best of traditional Thai architecture. Many of the houses were at least two centuries old. While this would be an outrageously expensive exercise today, we have to remember that this was the 1950's, when old was definitely out of fashion and everybody wanted something modern. People were probably more than happy to have this silly American pay them to cart of what they may have thought of as "junk" at the time.
The houses are reconstructed and put together in a very traditional fashion, although most of the modern conveniences such as electricity and indoor plumbing have been incorporated. The house quickly became known around town, and was ultimately opened to the public even before Thompson's "mysterious" disappearance while visiting friends in the Malaysian Cameron Highlands.Although open to the public, the house is not open to tour groups, which is one of the reasons more people don't visit. The house is also at the end of a longish alley (soi) and so not well know by taxi drivers either. Fortunately, the new Skytrain system may make it easier for more people to enjoy this little gem.
Jim Thompson House - Where East Meets West:-In the shadow of surrounding trees, the house’s inconspicuous façade belies a tastefully decked entry foyer, itself an unconventional architectural feature in traditional Thai houses and a preamble to Jim Thompson’s signature East-meets-West style permeating throughout the house. A clever lighting arrangement draws your eyes to two wall niches displaying a 17th Century standing Buddha and a wooden hand-carved figurine. High above your head, a Belgian chandelier glistens from the ceiling, while the floor is laid out with Italian marble tiles, punctuating the heavy wood accents on the walls and indoors staircase.
Jim Thompson House - A Tasteful Collection of Art and Antiques:-Upstairs, you are greeted by a series of decorative wall hangings that Jim Thompson acquired from various Buddhist temples. Like ancient murals, they tell stories of the Buddha’s previous and present lives as well as his spiritual journey towards attaining enlightenment. From here, proceed to the right and encounter the solemn sandstone Buddha image guarding the entry to the Thai kitchen, which now houses Jim Thompson’s exquisite collection of Benjarong porcelain ware. The dining room is housed inside the 19th Century teakwood villa Thompson bought from its owner in Ayutthaya. On the dining table, fashioned from two Chinese mahjong tables, the blue-and-white porcelain set is laid out in its full glory, as if dinner is about to be served, with Thompson seated at the head of the table, his back to the windows.
Jim Thompson House - Living at the Water’s Edge:-Set between the private quarter and the dining area is the living room, 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. With a four-metre-high ceiling and one open-sided wall, the living room is a lofty area overlooking the Saen Saeb Canal. Thompson masterfully converted the four windows into four display niches, upon which he placed four Burmese guardian spirits (or ‘Nats’) carved from wood, a gift from the Burmese government.
Master of His Own Trade:-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’.
The Jim Thompson Brand:-After Jim Thompson’s mysterious disappearance, a court-appointed administrator, which 10 years later became The James H.W. Thompson Foundation, took over the management of his house and assets. Today, the brand Jim Thompson also extends to an art centre, souvenir boutique, restaurant and café, as well as banqueting facilities located in the same vicinity. With an outdoor terrace by the canal, the elegantly appointed Araya Hall caters for gatherings of between 40 and 80 people, whether a corporate function, meeting, fashion show, wedding banquet, press conference, private luncheons or dinners.
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