Jim Thompson's House

Address	6 Kasemsan2 Lane, Rama I Road, Pathumwan
Location	Bangkok
Transportation	BTS National Stadium Station BUS 15, 47, 48, 73, 204, AC8 Parking Free inside the compound
Admission	Under 25 -- 50 Bht Adult -- 100 Bht
Hours	Daily 9am-4:30pm
Phone	662 216 7368

You wouldn’t expect a tourist destination to have such an American-sounding name, but Jim Thompson has an interesting story. He was born in Delaware and became an architect before World War II. Volunteering for service in the US Army, he came to Asia as part of a force planning to free Thailand. However, the war ended before this occurred. He still came to Bangkok and fell in love with the city and Thai culture. Upon leaving the service, he decided to live in Thailand permanently.

He devoted himself to the craft of weaving silk and to the silk industry. He was a gifted designer and received worldwide recognition.

Due to his background in architecture, during his stay in Thailand, he combined six teak buildings, which represented the best of traditional Thai architecture.

He wanted to make everything as authentic as possible, so he used the traditional customs of constructing the teak houses. He built them above ground as precaution to flooding and painted the walls red. He added beautiful chandeliers, traditional furniture and vibrant color from his silks.

Today Jim Thompson’s house remains open to the public and is considered part of the rich cultural heritage of the Thai people. All proceeds from viewings are donated to Thai charities.