Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Don't Miss
The House
Thompson adapted his six buildings to create a larger home in which each room had a
more familiar Western function. Another departure from tradition is the way Thompson
arranged each wall with its exterior side facing the house's interior. Some of the homes
were brought from the old royal capital of Ayuthaya; others were pulled down and floated
across the canal.
Thompson's Art Collection
Thompson's small but splendid Asian art collection is also on display in the main house;
pieces include rare Chinese porcelain and Burmese, Cambodian and Thai artefacts.
Thompson had a particularly astute eye for somewhat less flashy but nonetheless charm-
ing objects, such as the 19th-century mouse maze that resembles a house.
The Grounds
After the tour, be sure to poke around the house's jungle-like gardens, which include a
couple more structures that can be visited and ponds filled with exotic fish. The greater
compound is also home to a cafe/restaurant and a shop flogging Jim Thompson-branded
silk goods.
Jim Thompson Art Center
The compound also includes the
Jim Thompson Art Center
(admission free; 9am-5pm)
, a
museum with revolving displays spanning a variety of media; recent exhibitions have seen
contributions from the likes of Palme d'Or-winning Thai filmmaker Apichatpong Weera-
sethakul.
Top Tips
›
Beware of well-dressed touts in soi near Jim Thompson's House who will tell you it is closed and then try to
haul you off on a dodgy buying spree.
