Jim Thompson was an interesting guy, - in fact, he may still be. A OSS officer (i.e. spy) in the Second World War, he stayed in Bangkok after the war to make a fortune in silk trading, after a brief stint as a part owner of the Oriental Hotel. He started out well, and then the business took off once his silk was commissioned for the Broadway production of the "King and I." He used that fortune, in a small part, to build an amazing collection of Thai art and architecture.

Then, while out for a walk in Malaysia back in 1967, Thompson disappeared, never to be seen again. Rumors, innuendo and conspiracy theories abound, but the upshot was that his house was made available to the public, pending his return, for a small donation that goes to charities he had supported. The house, built from several deconstructed teak homes, houses a collection of art even better even than the National Museum in this humble rabbit's opinion. The house is littered with statutes dating back to the 8th century, along with mosaics, paintings and objets d' art covering a wide span of Thai culture.

Jim Thompson's House is well worth the trip.