Location: 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok
Tel: (662) 216-7368 Fax: (662) 612-3744
Time Spent: 2 hours ( 45 minutes tour)
Entrance Fee: 150 Baht Each
Opening Hours : 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. everyday with the last Guided Tour at 6:00 p.m
How to get there:
We took a cab going there but this is near the BTS station near MBK mall or national stadium, everyone knows the place so you might want to ask the locals.
TRIVIA
Jim Thompson is a well-known American businessman who helped revitalize the Thai Silk industry in Thailand. He became controversial when he disappeared on March 26 1967 and was never found. His house features his antique collections and the making of Thai silks.
The house is now a museum and offers guided tours in several languages
(Thai, Chinese and English) It also features how Thai silks are made from scratch.
We were not allowed to take photos inside the house which I respected. However, the tour guide is very informative and I was amazed on how Jim Thompson conceptualized his beautiful home.
Jim Thompson transported the traditional Thai homes and rebuilt them to fit his needs. It seems Jim had an eye for design since the house is full of beautiful furniture portraying a fusion of West and East. There is a lush garden with fishponds in the compound and a restaurant (I did not visit the restaurant) . Very relaxing atmosphere.
The tour lasted for 45 minutes and it gives you an inner understanding on the creativeness of Jim Thompson who pretty much introduced Thai silk into the fashion world. It also features Asian antiques, fashion history and or architecture.
I learned from our Tour guide that he was on a holiday with friends in the jungle-clad Cameron Highlands of central Malaysia when he disappeared. It was told that he left his cigarette where he was staying and never came back.
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| Our tour guide who is very entertaining |
You are allowed to enter the connecting house so make sure you bring water with you as it was scorching hot and a lot of walking is required. I love how they were able to preserve the beauty of Jim Thompson's lovely home.
from Thai Silk. I found so many cute items but I didn't bother to buy because for me it was a bit expensive but my friend said, The quality is good and worth the price.
Overall, it was a great experience and not just your ordinary museum tour. You will totally understand why Authentic Thai Silks are a bit expensive and how they love Jim Thompson.
It was just so sad that he vanished just like that. He could have contributed more but nonetheless, he continue to inspire us and made a huge difference in the silk industry.
After the tour, there's like a small shuttle car that will bring you to the main road near the BTS station for Free. Since the heat is not tolerable for me, I passed by a vendor selling this refreshment made of fruits. I just didn't remember the name of the red fruit but I got the orange one and it taste so good perfect for the heat.
If you'd like more information you might want to check their website HERE
More of my Bangkok Tour on my next blog!
