Lunch With The Silk King

Frankie magazine tells us that everyone has a story. Others need Benjamin Law, or some extremely witty literary master, to tell the story in order for it to be half interesting. Jim Thompson, the Silk King, is not one of these people.

Thompson was an OSS operative (these are the guys who were CIA before the CIA even existed). To cut a long story short, Thompson was head of the OSS in Thailand. Once released from services, Thompson revived a dying trade in silk. He exported the junk out of the stuff and became a multi bazillionaire. Holidaying in Malaysia 22 years after setting up shop in Thailand, Thompson went missing in the jungle. Some say Aboriginies got him, others that the OSS killed him.

Turns out he was a mad art collecter, designer and all round cool guy who transported six teak houses from Northern Thailand down to Bangkok. Meshing traditional Thai design with a few Western tweaks, Thompson had pretty much the most banging place I have ever been in. And I've been in some nice places.

The Jim Thompson House is a must if you're in Bangkok. Entry is $4 and the restaurant definitely has the best food we've partaken of this trip. Just ask Kesh: This is the besssst massaman of my liiiiife...

All the shots below are from the gardens (no photography inside the house).