We’ve always been fascinated by the disappearance of architect, fabric maker and CIA operative Jim Thompson. While vacationing in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia in 1967, Thompson vanished and despite a massive search was never to be seen or heard from again.
Thompson was responsible for revitalizing the Thai silk industry in the 1950s with the founding of the Thai Silk Company. He partnered with Broadway in 1951 for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I, which he provided the fabric for.
Designer Vicente Wolf explores Jim Thompson’s Bangkok home in the Wall Street Journal article “In the Mood for Thai”. Wolf tells the WSJ that “When I first visited the house, about 30 years ago, I was blown away by how wonderfully traditional and Thai it feels..Now that I have a better understanding of the culture, I realize that it’s in no way traditional, and in no way Thai; it’s an infusion of many elements.”
Take a look at the Jim Thompson House below.
Photo via WSJ
For more information visit jimthompsonhouse.com.
