Jim Thompson arrived in Bangkok as a US army officer in 1945, fell in love with it and stayed. Captivated by the lustrous beauty of Thai silk, he rescuscitated an ancient craft in decline and made it famous, creating costumes for films and embellishing his historic house, which today is a museum.

An aesthete and art collector, he created an exquisite home from six hand-carved teakwood houses brought from the countryside and filled it with Asian art. Here he became a celebrated society host..

This lecture describes his achievements, showing the intricacy of silk production and its artistic heritage, including royal robes and dance costumes. It touches on films with his silks such as The King and I, reveals his house and its art, and reflects on a life that ended abruptly with his mysterious disappearance.