jim thompson?
(info collected from other sources)
The hand weaving of silk, a long neglected cottage industry, captured Jim Thompson's attention, and he devoted himself to reviving the craft. Highly gifted as a designer and textile colorist, he 
contributed substantially to the industry's growth and to the worldwide recognition accorded to Thai silk. He gained further known through the construction of this house combining six teak buildings which represented the best of traditional Thai architecture. Most of the houses were at least two centuries old and were easily dismantled and brought to the present site, some from as far away as the old capital of Ayudhya.
In his quest for authenticity, Jim Thompson adhered to the customs of the early builders in most respects. The houses were elevated a full story above the ground, a practical Thai precaution to avoid flooding during the rainy season, and the roof tiles were fired in Ayudhya employing a design common centuries ago but rarely used today. The red paint on the outside walls is a preservative commonly found on many old Thai buildings. The chandeliers were electrified as a concession to modern convenience, but even they belong to a past era, having come from 18th and 19th century Bangkok palaces.
The house is often touted as being typically Thai-style, however the reality is that it is a mish-mash of styles and features. Six traditional teak houses were cannibalized, dismantled, and floated downriver to create this one. Although he had trained in architecture, the houses were more difficult for Thompson to reassemble than he had counted on, and apparently he had to go back to Ayutthaya to find a group of carpenters who still practised traditional building methods to solve the problem.
Some of the features he included were the turning inside out of some wall and decorative panels so as to be able to appreciate the carving better from the inside, the staircase being inside rather than outside the house as is traditionally the case, and the use of an intricately carved Chinese pawnshop wall to separate different living areas. Despite all of these, the house comes together beautifully well and must have been a joy to live in. My favourite was the living area (pictured above) facing wall-less onto the garden and the klong, with the perfect daybed in the centre.
Buddha statues ranging from 8th to 13th and 14th centuries, Chinese ceramics, Thai paintings and other antiques can be seen on display in almost every room and recess in the house.
Upstairs in the room that used to be the kitchen is an exquisite collection of 19th century Chinese ceramics.
This form of ceramics later developed into the renowned Benjarong porcelain, made with the five principal colours, black, white, red, blue (or green) and yellow. Benjarong in Thai, is the collective name for these five colours.
No nails were used, only wooden joints and pegs, a standard feature in the traditional Thai house.
A luxuriant Thai garden weaves its way around the house, making it virtually a jungle maze. Jim Thompson fondly referred to the garden in his house as the "jungle." The thick foliage interspersed between the wings of the house, almost obscures parts of the house from view, giving the place a cool and peaceful atmosphere.
The terrace fronting the main house overlooks the boat landing which is shaded by a 100-year-old tree. Beyond the garden wall, the busy riverboats flow along the Saan Saab all day long taking people to work or school and back.
Besides his house, Jim Thompson is best known for bringing hand wovenThai silk to the fashion capitals of the world. For visitors to Bangkok, his name is synonymous with Thai silk.
And the Jim Thompson House is a repository of antiques and Thai handicraft.
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