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Here it is the sixth day of the new year and I haven’t trashed Jim Thompson’s House of Silk for Sale yet. So let me rectify that omission before we’re looking at the second new year of the new year and some unsuspecting visitor to Bangkok makes a poor choice of daytime activities by wasting some of his precious holiday time at a dead farang’s vision of a traditional Thai teakwood domicile. As I’ve pointed out before, if the Thai silk industry is what interests you, the original community of locals who are responsible for that trade still live just across the water from Jim-boy’s place and that little glimpse of village life is a much more rewarding experience than is the Big Bawana’s once a residence now a retail operation. And if the impressive use of teakwood in residential construction is what sets your heart aflutter, the Vimanmek Mansion does it better. And it too is where locals lived, not some white dude whose biggest claim to fame is that he pulled an Amelia Earhart.
Even more closely comparable to Jim’s place – minus the mandatory guided tour and overpriced silk ties with elephant on them for sale – is the former residence of Mom Rajawongse Kukrit Pramoj, a true Thai renaissance man and former prime minister of Thailand. ‘Mom Rajawongse’ – abbreviated as M.R. – btw, is an aristocratic Thai title, or as the residence’s official website puts it in referring to the heritage home: House Of Important Person. Like Jim’s abode, the House That Mom built is filled with antiques and is a fine example of traditional Thai residential construction. Unlike Jim’s place it does not come across as a museum, is not overflowing with sweaty touri, and – possibly best yet for the average gay punter – is located close to their normal stomping grounds: Patpong. It also served as the fifth pit stop in The Amazing Race 19. So take that Jim Thompson.
Set deep in a quiet soi off busy South Sathorn Road in downtown Bangkok, M.R. Kukrit’s Heritage Home consists of a cluster of five small one-room teak houses on elevated poles – the earliest of which is more than 100 years old. – connected by an open veranda. The owner brought these small houses from different places, at different times, had them dismantled, transported to their present site and reassembled as examples of traditional Thai architecture. The result of over twenty years of work, the property showcases a rich collection of artifacts, including ceramics, antiques, fine arts and rare books – not museum pieces but things Kukrit collected and loved – a reflection of Kukrit’s deep interest in Thai culture and his own efforts at preserving it. Representing the way of life of the well-to-do class in Thai society of an era gone by, what makes M.R. Kukrit’s Heritage Home unique is that it still remains as it was during Kukrit’s life – the home of a living person and not a Thai house decorated for exhibition purposes.
Born into a gentry family and related to the royal family on his father’s side and one of the most influential ministerial family on his mother’s, Kukrit Pramoj was a politician, writer, poet and national artist. He penned more than 40 novels, stage plays, short stories, and poems as well as being the sole owner of the Siam Rath which was the most influential opinion-paper during his life time. He started a political party in 1945 and became Thailand’s 13th Prime Minister (from 1974 to 1975). Throughout his life, Kukrit actively promoted traditional Thai culture and was considered one of the country’s leading heritage authorities as well as a respected amateur performer in classical dance drama – during the 1960s he formed a Khon dance troupe comprised of students from Thammasat University where he lectured. He also appeared in the Hollywood film The Ugly American with Marlon Brando. Um, Jim Thompson, on the other hand, sold silk.
Although Kukrit passed away in 1995, the residence has been deliberately kept just as if he was still alive and living there. For many visitors the property’s extensive well-maintained tropical gardens are the most memorable. Set on a picturesque pond, as with any traditional Thai home of the same scale, the expanse of well-maintained tropical gardens and water features surrounding the buildings are an integral part of his home and Kukrit’s interest in horticulture is readily visible, offering a calm, peaceful, and often fragrant respite from the hustle and bustle of the city that surrounds the property. He was particularly fond of sculpted miniature trees – called ‘mai dat’ in Thai, which is not quite the same as Japanese bonsai – and Kao Mor (miniature mountains) both of which are displayed on the veranda and in the walled-in garden, Kukrit was quite proud of the lush landscape filled with exotic specimens that he created, and worked in the gardens until almost his last days
Like Jim Thompson’s House of Silk for Sale, M.R. Kukrit’s Heritage Home was a private home before being converted into a museum. And both contain personal and prized collections of artifacts and are open to the public. A major difference is in the character of each home, which reflects its owner’s passions and interests. In this case, trade and art versus culture and native heritage. And at Kukrit’s home, the focus is not just on the residence or cultural objects but also on the person as someone who made an impact on Thai society as a whole, and not just a small portion of a country’s commercial history.
(M.R. Kukrit’s Heritage Home – which is about a 20 minute stroll from the Ching Nonsi BTS station – is open daily, 10:00-16:00. You should call first, or visit its website, www.kukritshousefund.com/, as the property is frequently booked for private functions and is often closed to the general public on weekends.)
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roguebear said:
Discovered M.R. Kukrit’s house from Nancy Chandler’s map a few years ago. We pretty much had the house to ourselves during our visit. Jim Thompson’s house was enjoyable, but M.R. Kukrit’s house was much more interesting and the gardens were very nice. We also liked Suan Pakkad Palace Museum which has some old Thai houses as well.
Bangkokbois said:
I haven’t seen the Suan Pakkad Palace Museum, so I’ll add that to my to-do list. Thanks!
Did you make it out to rhe gay bar at Chatuchak on this trip?