The Jim Thompson House Museum

Thompson inspecting silk pieces at the canal side, most probably in the village of Ban Krua, across from his residence. Convinced that the beauty and quality of Thai silk would have an appeal outside Thailand, Thompson successfully exported his silks internationally.

Thompson displaying some of his silks in the living room of his Thai house.

The Thai house which is named "The Jim Thompson House Museum" was designed and built by Jim Thompson (September 1958 - April 1959). The residence is built on teak pillars a full floor above the ground.

For his new home, Thompson acquired several Thai houses from the Ayutthaya region, but the oldest and the most impressive dates from around 1800 and was a weaver's house from the Cham village of Bahn Krua.

Thompson on the building site. He brought a group of skilled carpenters down from Ayutthaya to reassemble the woodwork on a property across from Bahn Krua, the Cham village that wove his silk.

The house during construction. The property is facing the canal, or klong, across from the 250-year old Bahn Krua village, home to Jim Thompson’s Cham silk weavers.

"Jungle" is how Jim Thompson described his densely-planted garden, with lofty palms, golden bamboos and creepers. In general outline, the planting is the same as it was in Jim Thompson's time.

The garden is constantly changing but the ambience has shifted from uncontrolled chaos to controlled chaos thanks to professional care. Here, the red ginger (Alpinia) grows nearby the small pond in the rear garden.

Thompson has been a collector of Thai antiques since 1946. In his new home, he displayed beautifully his collection of old Thai paintings, Buddhist sculpture, Chinese blue and white and various objets d’art. In general, the display of the collection remains the same as it was in Jim Thompson's time. Only the old pantry and servants quarters have been converted into exhibition pavilions in order to display benjarong porcelains, small objects and paintings.

"Clothed in the robe of a monk, the Buddha held a flap of the robe in his left hand. The gentle outline of the hips give a remarkable impression of movement." Dvaravadi School.

Bust of Buddha in brown limestone. "The wide face with a strong nose and fleshy lips, round eyes and arched and joined eyebrows are very characteristic of the Dvaravadi school.”

"The hairstyle is of small curls topped by a flame-decorated ornament… A wide face with a strong chin, a wide mouth, slightly arched brows, and half-closed eyes." Ayutthaya school, U-Thong style.

"The thoughtful face, with closed eyes, reveals this to be an example of the Bayon art."

Head of Surya, the Hindu sun-god, with large conical headdress; the face is flat and surrounded by a discus incised with lines representing the sun rays.

"Ardhanari, a Brahmin god representing Siva in half-male, half female form, symbolizes the union of masculine and feminine energies."

The Birth of Buddha; Queen Mahamaya is standing under a tree and holding on a branch, giving birth to Gautama Buddha, in Lumpini. On the right side, the new born prince is surrounded by Indra, colored in green, and an angel.

Buddha returns to Kapilavatthu; the seated Buddha is preaching to his father and is in a meditative pose; he is surrounded by his disciples before the King and the court.

An illustration of the thirtieth episode of the Vessantara Jataka, Nakhonkan, or the triumphant return from exile of Prince Vessantara to the Kingdom of Siva. This painting comes from the ancient northern kingdom of Lanna, now Chiang Mai province.

The legend of Phra Malai, a buddhist saint known for his travels to heaven and hell, figures prominently in Thai religious treatises. He is traditionally represented wearing the saffron robe, and holding a fan. On this painting, he visits the underworld in his quest for saving the mankind from sin and hell.

Cockfight at the village

Brahman Jati, the Siamese horoscope; here the year of the dog. A complete set of twelve astrological signs is displayed at the museum.

The Mouse House: "A fanciful little structure that was made by 19th-century Chinese carvers to house pet white mice."