Jim Thompson House
Six traditional teak houses assembled by the American silk trader who disappeared in 1967, now a museum of Thai art and textiles.
Jim Thompson House is a museum of six traditional teak houses assembled in Bangkok by the American silk trader who revived Thai silk, then disappeared in 1967. Visits are by guided tour only, about 45 minutes.
Open Jim Thompson House in Google Maps13.7490, 100.5280
Under 10 free; ages 10–21 THB 150
Entry fee checked against operator or park publication, October 2026. Hours can change without notice — confirm on the day.
Six traditional teak houses assembled by the American silk trader who disappeared in 1967, now a museum of Thai art and textiles.
Thompson was an architect and intelligence officer who settled in Bangkok after the war and built a silk business from nothing. In 1959 he combined six antique teak houses into one compound; in 1967 he vanished while walking in Malaysia's Cameron Highlands, and the case was never solved.
It is the best explanation of how a traditional Thai house actually works — raised floors, air flow, room proportions — and the silk collection is genuinely beautiful. A guided tour is compulsory and worth it.
What you’ll actually see
- The raised teak houses and how airflow and shade actually work
- A collection of Southeast Asian art and Buddha images
- The silk showroom, where the fabric is still sold
- The garden, a pocket of green in Pathumwan
How to visit it well
- Tours run every 20 minutes; arrive early to avoid the midday queue.
- Photography is not allowed inside the houses.
- The silk shop is expensive but the real thing.
Mistakes worth avoiding
- Arriving without checking tour times and waiting 40 minutes
- Planning to photograph the interiors — it is not allowed
Is it worth it?
The best explanation in Bangkok of how a traditional Thai house works, wrapped in a genuinely strange story. An hour well spent.
Common questions
No, but tours run every 20–30 minutes and sell out at weekends. Arrive before 11am or after 3pm.
He disappeared in 1967 while on holiday in the Cameron Highlands. No body was found and no theory has been proven.
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Last updated: October 2026 · Prices and hours checked by Tom Whitfield