Tue December 29, 2015

The Jim Thompson House Museum

But first, breakfast! Being at the InterContinental, and having an extensive breakfast buffet, I have a large breakfast each day.

It is definitely western in style, and very delicious, coffee, cereal, omelette, and danish. I finished the fruit and orange juice before I remembered to take out my camera.

And my room – I have had questions about my room, so here are a couple pictures.

It is a very nice hotel. Since the high-energy almost chaotic character of Bangkok can sap one’s energy, I like to pamper myself a bit while in Bangkok, so I stay at a nice hotel. And the InterContinental fits the bill well. (And, yes, that is a blue yoga mat on the floor…always good to do some yoga after a high-energy day in Bangkok.)

And now the Jim Thompson House

Jim Thompson was an American architect who served in the army in Thailand in World War II. After the war ended, he returned to Bangkok to live, and took an interest in the fledgling silk-making trade. He is credited with a very substantial part in resurrecting that industry, and Jim Thompson silk is still of the finest in the world.

From the National Stadium skytrain stop, it is a short walk to this little alley where a colorful sign announces the Jim Thompson house.

Down the soi (alley) and you are there.

Jim Thompson had five traditional Thai houses dismantled, moved, and reassembled on his property by one of the canals. Three of the small houses became one main house with interconnecting upper floors. The houses hold his extensive art and artifact collection. Unfortunately, photographs inside the buildings is not allowed.

I enjoy visiting the Jim Thompson House every time I am in Bangkok. There are many, many people at the Jim Thompson house as it has unfortunately become a “place to visit” in Bangkok. It is a beautiful oasis he built. Art museums are wonderful, but the collections are selected by committees. This is Jim Thompson’s personal collection – we get to see his taste in the art he collected. I liken this to the Isabella Stuart Gardner Museum in Boston, which is her personal collection in the house she built to hold it.

Suan Pakkad Palace

It was said that if I liked the Jim Thompson House, I would like Suan Pakkad Palace better. This is another oasis in the middle of the busy and energetic Bangkok.

Suan Pakkad means “cabbage garden” which is what the land on which the palace is located once was. It became the residence of Prince Chumbhot Paribatra, a grandson of King Rama V, and his consort M.R.Pantip Paribatra. Four houses were taken apart, transported, and reconstructed on these grounds of the Palace in 1952 and used as both a reception hall and a place to display the Prince and Princess’ extensive collection of artifacts. Soon after the grounds became a fully fledged museum so the collection could be viewed by the public. Later, four more traditional Thai houses were added to the property, and in 1996 a large, modern museum building was added to the east to house a large collection of artifacts from the Banchiang area in northeastern Thailand.

When I entered the grounds, I was greeted by this horseman. I did not learn who he was or his significance, but it is a dramatic statue making for an enticing entrance-way.

This is a view of part of the courtyard around which the houses are located. This quiet, almost serene park-like area is right in the middle of the hustle-bustle and noise of Bangkok.

Another view of the oasis garden around which the houses housing the extensive collection sit.

Unfortunately, as at the Jim Thompson House, no photographing is allowed inside any of the buildings.

One of the eight buildings housing the art and artifact collection. Opposite this are four buildings connected at the upper level, in a way, similar to the Jim Thompson House.

Next: The Golden Mountain Temple