Where in the World?

Question: Where in the world can you tour an impressive art museum designed by a "Silk King" who suddenly vanished without a trace, leaving only conspiracy theories about his whereabouts in his wake?

Answer: The Jim Thompson House in Bangkok, Thailand

In the 1950s and 1960s, James H. W. "Jim" Thompson was a nationally renowned textile tycoon. People from all around the world knew of Thailand’s "Silk King," who single-handedly saved Thailand’s now-booming silk industry from extinction. However, on Sunday, March 26, 1967, Thompson went for a walk in the Malaysian jungle and never returned—and, to this day, no one knows what happened to him.

Thompson grew up in Delaware, belonging to a wealthy family. After attending a prestigious boarding school, Thompson went to college at the Ivy League Princeton University where he would study architecture before moving to New York City. He lived a lavish life in the city socializing with the who’s who of the world. While Thompson offered up his expertise in home design to the high-society friends of his parents, he failed to pass his qualifying exam to become a licensed architect three times. Perhaps it was this failure that led to his decision to enlist in the Delaware National Guard in 1941. Nonetheless, Thompson would soon land a position with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS)—the predecessor to the CIA.

Around 1945, as World War II was ending, Thompson was transferred to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) where preparations were underway to invade Thailand. The OSS planned for Thompson to parachute into Thailand to link up with the Seri Thai or Free Thai underground and prepare for the Allied invasion. But the abrupt surrender by the Japanese after the atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war before these plans could come to fruition. Thus, Thompson was flown into Bangkok, Thailand, where he began to develop an affinity for Thai culture, customs, and beautiful natural scenery. Although Thompson returned to the United States in 1946, he had become enthralled with Thailand.

Thompson returned to Thailand a few years later and co-founded the Thai Silk Company in 1950. This company would help Thompson fund the home of his dreams—the Jim Thompson House—which would begin construction in 1958. Designed by Thompson himself, this unique complex featured a different Thai style in each of its six houses which were attached by staircases and pathways created by Thompson. He would adorn this compound with precious pieces and a collection of Thai art that was unprecedented in size and value at the time.

On the day of Thompson’s disappearance, he had been visiting friends in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, a mountainous region covered by dense wilderness. The four of them attended Easter mass that morning and, after returning from the services, all but Thompson decided to take a nap. Thompson opted to go for a walk into the jungle, and no one saw him again.

Despite a massive search, no trace of Thompson was ever found—one of the most prominent Westerners in Asia had simply vanished. Theories surrounding this disappearance range from death by tiger, to getting lost in the deep forest, to disappearing himself as part of a political intrigue, to getting kidnapped by Communists, to being killed during a CIA mission, and more. There is only speculation, however, and no one truly knows what happened to Jim Thompson. It’s also unlikely that Thompson was making an escape as he left the cottage without taking his cigarettes (he was a heavy smoker) nor his pills for the gallstone pain he had been battling.

5 Interesting Facts About Jim Thompson

• Thompson’s silk company initially struggled: For three years after its founding in 1950, the Thai Silk Company Limited struggled to find success. However, two notable incidents helped Thompson’s silk launch onto the path toward worldwide fame. Firstly, Thompson was able to connect with Vogue editor Edna Woolman Chase through a mutual friend. Chase loved Thompson’s fabrics enough to feature them in the magazine. Secondly, in 1951, the costume designer for the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I, decided that Thai Silk Company Limited would be the perfect provider for their costumes. Five years later, in 1956, Thai Silk Company would also provide materials for the movie version. Thai royalty soon came calling, with Queen Sirikit capturing headlines while touring the U.S., dressed in striking Balmain-designed outfits made from Thompson’s silk.


• A famous psychic helped in the hunt for Thompson: Peter Hurkos, born Pieter Van Der Hurk in the Netherlands, gained widespread attention in 1964 when Attorney General Edward W. Brooke of Massachusetts said he had come ''uncannily close'' to describing the Boston Strangler. Hurkos also helped the authorities in the 1969 Manson family murders. By 1969, he cited the successful solution of 27 murder cases in 17 countries. However, some detectives countered that Hurkos contributed no information unobtainable from newspapers and, in some cases, that he had no part in the investigations whatsoever. Hurkos had run-ins with the law as well, and was convicted in Milwaukee in 1964 for impersonating an agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. About Thompson’s disappearance, Hurkos said, "Thompson is alive. He has been abducted to another country, but he is not being held for ransom. I would stake my neck on this."


• Six months after Jim Thompson’s disappearance, his sister, Katherine Thompson Wood, was murdered: Katherine’s murder, like Thompson's disappearance, remains unsolved. She was beaten to death in her bed on August 30, 1967, even though two unfriendly guard dogs—a German shepherd named Mr. Magoo and a golden retriever called Rumpus—were in the house with her. She was 74. In a final twist, Harrison Wilson Wood, the 47-year-old son of Katherine Wood, shot himself to death four years later in Malvern, PA.


• Thompson only had $50 in his bank account when he vanished: As we mentioned, Thompson spent a fortune adding to his collection of art in the Jim Thompson House. The salary he had earned from the silk company went straight to his art until the end of his days: When he left for his ill-fated trip to Malaysia, he only had $50 to his name.


• Some sketchy events happened on the days leading up to Thompson’s disappearance: On the way to the highlands where Thompson would vanish, the driver of Thompson's taxi was mysteriously switched, whereupon the taxi headed for a garage for repairs. There, Thompson and his traveling companion were asked to take another taxi that already contained two men but they refused to share the ride—friends figure that this may have been an abortive kidnap attempt. On the day that Thompson disappeared, a caravan of five cars was seen going up the usually traffic-free road to the highlands and coming down three hours later—right after Jim Thompson vanished.

Walk through the Jim Thompson House and marvel at the impressive collection he left behind on our New! Discover Thailand: Bangkok to Chiang Rai adventure.