Jim Thompson House Museum

Thompson's love of Thailand wasn't limited to its national fabric, but extended to Asian art, antiques, and religious statues. His home itself is a collection of derelict homes transported across Thailand and reassemble at his compound. Thompson's extensive collection includes unique pieces of architecture, furniture, and art, as well as broken Buddha statues discarded by locals believing them to be cursed.

Following his mysterious disappearance in 1967, Thompson's home and collection was converted into a museum, now open for guided tours that explain the fascinating stories behind each piece. Also located within the grounds is a Thai Silk shop and a café serving traditional Thai cuisine.

Look Around

Front gate

Front of the house

Exterior of Jim Thompson House

Start of group tour

Ancient state standing underneath the house

Engraving

Back of the house

Guided tour

Shop exterior

Shop interior

Jim Thompson is responsible for reviving the Thai silk industry

Silkworm cocoons

Jim Thompson shop

Who Will Like Jim Thompson House Museum

Culture Buff

Wander through a traditional Thai housing complex and marvel at Thompson's collection of Asian furniture, art, and architecture. Visit the silk shop to see the traditional process of turning simple cocoons into exquisite reems of fabric.

Retail Therapist

Visit the shop to snap up Thai silk clothing, bags, homewares and more to take home as keepsakes.

Insider Tips For Jim Thompson House Museum

• Visitors can only visit inside the museum on a 30-minute guided tour, available in Thai, English, French, Chinese, and Japanese.
• Tour bookings are not required as tours run according to demand. Visitors may have to wait in the café or gift shop until the next tour. The last tour of the day runs at 6pm.
• Shoes, bags, and other belongings must be left on unsecured wooden shelves during tours inside the house.
• Watch out for low level ceilings and doorways, especially if you are tall.
• Cameras must be turned off while inside the house. Photography is only allowed of the exterior and gardens.
• The Thai silk shop and restaurant are both quite overpriced.
• Don't believe locals who say Jim Thompson House is closed and offer to drive you home. This is a scam to gain commission from jewelry stores they will undoubtedly take you to.

Video

How To Get There

Tech & Photography

Food & Drink

Drinks at the restaurant

Spring rolls and corn fritters

Garden around the house and restaurant

Jim Thompson House restaurant

Jim Thompson Restaurant and Wine Bar - Traditional Thai menu with cocktails and drinks also available. Very expensive by Thai standards.

Backstory

Jim Thompson was born in 1906 in Delaware, United States. He moved to Bangkok after serving in Thailand during WWII and, seeing the global potential for Thai Silk, founded the Thai Silk Company Limited in 1948.

During the 1950s and 60s Thompson began to collect Southeast Asian art and antiques, importing items from Thailand, Burma, Cambodia, and Laos, paying special attention to Buddhist statues and paintings. Also, during this period Thompson began to transport run-down Teak structures from other areas of Thailand, mainly ancient capital Ayutthaya, to his canal-front property in Bangkok. Starting in 1958, he restored and reassembled these structures to commence construction on a home for both himself and his art collection, which was completed in 1959.

Thompson's story ended in 1967 when he never returned from a walk in Malaysia's Cameron Highlands. His disappearance remains a mystery, but there are several conspiracies around what may have happened to him. Some say he was mauled by a wild tiger, while others think he was abducted by shady figures from his past.

Following Thompson's disappearance, ownership of his home was transferred to the James H. W. Thompson Foundation under the royal patronage of H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and was opened to the public as a museum.

Etiquette

Scorecard

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