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Jim Thompson (designer)
Encyclopedia
James Harrison Wilson Thompson (born March 21, 1906) was an American
businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk
industry in the 1950s and 1960s. A former U.S. military intelligence
officer, Thompson mysteriously disappeared
from Malaysia's Cameron Highlands
while going for a walk on Easter
Sunday, March 26, 1967.
Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain his disappearance. Theories range from his committing suicide to his being carried away by aborigines.
, a noted Union general in the American Civil War
.
Thompson spent his early years of education at St. Paul's boarding school. He graduated from Princeton University
in 1928. Post-graduate studies followed at the University of Pennsylvania
’s School of Architecture but he did not get his degree at this institution due to his weakness in calculus.
From 1931 to 1940, he practiced in New York City
with Holden, McLaughlin & Associates, designing homes for the East Coast
rich and a band shell in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
.
During the 1930s, he led an active social life and sat on the board of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
. Before the decade came to a close, he not only became politically active; his liberal politics also alienated him from his family.
In 1941, he left his job and enlisted with the Delaware National Guard
regiment. He did well in training and became a commissioned officer after the Japan
ese attack on Pearl Harbor
.
, Thompson was recruited by William Joseph Donovan
to serve in the Office of Strategic Services
(which in 1947 was disbanded in place of the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency
).
His first call of duty was with the French
resistance forces in North Africa
. Later, he was sent to Europe
. After Victory in Europe Day
(May 7–8, 1945), he was transferred to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
). He was put in charge of the pro-Allied Seri Thai
or Free Thai Movement
. In August 1945, he was about to be deployed in Thailand
when the Surrender of Japan
officially ended World War II
. He arrived in Thailand shortly after Victory over Japan Day
to take charge of the Bangkok
OSS office. In the spring of 1946, Thompson went to work for the American Legation, as military attaché to his former Princeton
classmate Charles Yost - the U.S. Minister to Thailand. As part of the Legation
, Thompson was able to use his contacts among the Free Thai and Free Lao groups to gather information and defuse conflicts on Thailand's borders. Working with them in the Legation
was Kenneth Landon – whose wife was the author of Anna and the King of Siam, the inspiration for The King and I
.
.
In 1948, he partnered George Barrie to found the Thai Silk Company. The establishment achieved a coup in 1951 when designer Irene Sharaff
made use of Thai silk
fabrics for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I
. From then on, the company prospered.
Thompson’s formula for success was not as complex as what one would make it out to be. It hinged on two factors.
“In the first instance,” he said, “we run a dependable operation. Whenever we come up with a pattern or color that sells well, we make sure we stick to its exact formula. That way, our customers can rest assured that when they re-order, they will get a consistent product.”
“Equally important,” he mentioned, “is that the cottage industry in this part of the world is more significant than what most people realize. Most of the weavers in this area either don’t care or don’t need to know who are buying their products. But it is necessary for us to know what our customers’ tastes and requirements are.”
Besides inventing the bright jewel tones and dramatic color combinations nowadays associated with Thai silk
, he raised thousands of Thailand
's poorest people out of poverty. His determination to keep his company cottage-based was significant for the women who made up the bulk of his work force. By allowing them to work at home, they retained their position in the household while becoming breadwinners. It was only after Thompson's disappearance that the Thai Silk Company relocated its weaving operations to Korat
, a city which serves as a base of operations for the Royal Thai Army. Although it abandoned home-based weaving in favor of factories in the early 1970s, the Thai Silk Company's Korat
facility looks more like a landscaped campus than a factory.
Thompson was unlike any other figure in Southeast Asia. He was an American
, an ex-architect, a retired army officer, a one-time spy, a silk merchant and a renowned collector of antiques. Most of his treasures, if not all, were amassed after he came to Thailand
.
In 1958, he began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement – the construction of a new home to showcase his objets de art.
Using parts of old up-country houses – some as old as a hundred years – he succeeded in constructing a masterpiece which involved the reassembling of six Thai
dwellings. Most of the units were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya
, but the largest – a weaver's house (now the living room) – came from Bangkrua.
In his quest for authenticity, he saw to it that some of the structures were elevated a full floor above the ground. During the construction stage, he added his own touches to the buildings by positioning, for instance, a central staircase indoors rather than having it outside. Along the way, he also reversed the wall panels of his quarters so that it now faced inside instead of it having an external orientation.
After he was through with its creation, he filled his home with the items he had collected in the past. Decorating his rooms were Chinese
blue-and-white Ming
pieces, Belgian
glass, Cambodia
n carvings, Victorian
chandeliers, Benjarong
earthenware, Thai
stone images, Burmese statues, and a dining table which was once used by King Rama V
of Thailand
.
In all, his ‘House on the Klong
’ occupied a hectare in area. The garden was a mini-jungle.
It took Thompson almost a year to complete his mansion. Now a museum, the Jim Thompson House
could be reached by public or private transport. Except for Sundays, it is open to the public from 9am to 4.30pm.
Thompson came to the Cameron Highlands
with Mrs. Constance (Connie) Mangskau on Friday, March 24, 1967. They stayed at "Moonlight" bungalow with Dr. Ling Tien Gi, a Singaporean-Chinese chemist and Mrs. Helen Ling, his white American-born wife.
On Easter Sunday, March 26, they attended the morning services at All Souls' Church
. Later that day, he went for a walk but failed to return.
Dr. Ling took it that Thompson left the estate at approximately 3.30pm. In an interview with The Straits Times, he said:
"I heard footsteps pass by my bedroom door about 3.30pm and presumed it was Mr. Thompson taking a stroll."
Mrs. Ling, however, felt otherwise. She told the Eastern Sun that Thompson left her home at 1.30pm. She said, "Mr. Thompson told her and Mrs. Mangskau at 1.30pm just before going for the walk: 'Good night, sweethearts'."
Asked why the 'good night' bit during noon, Mrs. Ling replied, "It has always been our practice, despite the time of the day or night to say good night whenever we wanted to retire for the night or for a siesta."
The report concluded, "... with the wave of the hand, Mr. Thompson was gone."
Thompson fails to return
After six, Dr. Ling got into his car and took a slow drive to a nearby club. He was confident he would meet Thompson along the way. He never did. When he returned home, he was puzzled as to where Thompson could have gone to. He later called his rental agent to inform him about Thompson’s absence. He felt since he knew the area rather well, word of Thompson’s whereabouts would soon be forthcoming. This, however, did not come to pass.
At 8.30pm, he went ahead and lodged a police report. He was told that word of his missing friend would be filtered down to the settlements in the area. He was also informed if Thompson failed to show up, an inquiry would be conducted the following morning.
Police comb area
At daybreak, about five policemen showed up at “Moonlight”. After taking a look at Thompson’s passport, they left the scene. Later that morning, the police, with the help of thirty aborigines, combed the area. The survey was intensive but there was just no trace of him. Before noon, news of his disappearance began to spread. Now, there were more than a hundred people looking for him.
Massive hunt for Thompson
The following day (March 28), the biggest hunt in Malaysian history was staged. The police came complete with loud hailers, walkie-talkies, field telephones, pistols and sub-machine guns.
The sweep of the forest was fairly thorough. It went on without a break. Till late in the evening, no one was able to find Thompson. The police concluded that he could either be trapped or accidentally injured. However, they were convinced he would somehow or other be able to find his way back. His previous jungle-survival training, they reasoned, would be sufficient to see him through whatever difficulties he was in.
Last known sightings
On Wednesday, March 29, the police were provided with some clues which they found to be useful in their quest to locate Thompson.
Che Fatimah binte Mohamed Yeh, 24, a cook at the Lutheran Mission bungalow, told Superintendent A.S. Nathan she saw Thompson on Sunday at about 4pm.
“I was in the kitchen,” she said, “when I saw him come up the road. He had on a white shirt and a pair of gray slacks. He stopped for a while to take a look at the garden. While looking at the plants, he did not speak to anyone. A short while later, he left the premises and headed the same way from where he came.”
In a separate report, a servant at the Overseas Missionary Fellowship mansion informed the police she saw a man who resembled Thompson standing on a plateau opposite the property. According to her, he was there at around 4pm. After thirty minutes or so, he was not to be seen.
The last person who saw him was an employee of the Eastern Hotel (which is now known as the Century Pines Resort). He was sure he saw someone who looked like Thompson heading in the direction of the track which led to the golf course.
Rewards
The Thai Silk Company was the first to declare a reward for the finder of Thompson. Charles U. Sheffield, 40, who was appointed acting manager, announced that “a generous reward of US$10,000 will be paid by the Thai Silk Company to any person or persons” who succeeded in finding Thompson.
The offer was made on Wednesday, March 29, that is, three days after Thompson was reported as lost. This incentive was a close follow-up to the strong rumors in the Thai capital that he could have been kidnapped and taken to another country.
Apart from this, two other rewards were also declared. On her part, Mrs. Mangskau affirmed she was more than willing to hand out a reward to anyone who knew where Thompson could be found. She left the details of her “handsome reward” with the police at Tanah Rata
.
The Malaysian police
, in line with tradition, also came up with a remuneration amounting to RM10,000 (about US$3,000). The payment, which was approved by the Inspector General of Police, was valid for a period of three months.
General Black joins in the hunt
On Friday, March 31, Brigadier-General Edwin Black came to the resort. He visited “Moonlight” with his aide, Lieutenant Denis Horgan and his friend, Dean Frasche. While they were at the bungalow, they were briefed by Mrs. Ling and Mrs. Mangskau about the developments which unfolded prior to Thompson’s going astray.
The following morning, the trio got up early and arranged for an aerial tower to be positioned near the house. The gadget was designed to throw a radar communication ‘net’ which covered a radius of approximately sixteen kilometers. Lieutenant Horgan was put in charge of the device.
General Black then headed for the forest to conduct a survey of his own. He was in constant contact with his aide while being accompanied by Frasche and two aborigines. Apart from being able to keep in touch with his assistant, General Black was also able to establish radio contact with the other parties who were on the lookout for Thompson.
The search conducted on Saturday, April 1, was indeed extensive. Joining in the exploration were two hundred more officers and men from Perak’s police field force. They were earlier engaged in a training operation at Tambun near Ipoh
. They came to the hill station from Tanjung Rambutan after making their way through the woods. They were later ordered to merge with the other parties who were based at Tanah Rata
.
On Monday, General Black and his crew decided to call off their search. They left the scene and headed for Kuala Lumpur
. While resting at the Malaysian capital, the commander told a group of reporters that “there has been absolutely no trace of Thompson’s whereabouts.” “Thompson,” he reasoned, “has knowledge of jungle survival. This would have enabled him to survive for a few days. On realizing he was lost, he would have been on the lookout for a stream. He would have subsequently followed it expecting to come to a village.
“I find his disappearance rather strange. There has not been a single clue, not a bit of torn clothing or even a shoe. According to the police, a ransom is usually demanded within a time frame of forty-eight hours. Nothing of that sort has surfaced since the day he went missing.”
The search winds down
The pursuit for Thompson went on uninterruptedly for eleven days. On their part, the police did put in a concerted effort to find for him. On the twelfth day, there was a change in their operation: more than two hundred officers and men were ordered to head back to their base in Perak
. Only a force numbering less than a hundred was instructed to stay behind.
With the dwindling of the police field force, the casting about for Thompson took on a different twist – the seekers narrowed down to two categories: the first were experts who knew the place like the back of their hands; the second were those who delved into the supernatural. Both parties were just as confident of success; they were more than eager to track Thompson down.
Noone engaged to look for Thompson
On Sunday, April 23, Richard Noone, 49, a British
officer with the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
came onto the scene. He was no stranger to the jungles of the area. At one stage, he served as head of the Malayan Department of Aborigines.
After two days of planning, Noone, a Cambridge
-trained anthropologist, went into the woods with two assistants. Both helpers were equally at home in any tropical rainforest: one was a border scout from Sarawak
, the other was an aborigine witch doctor. While they were in the wilds, they met a few aborigines but they were unable to provide the threesome with leads as to where Thompson could be found. Undiscouraged, the group carried on exploring in the hope of meeting up with him from where the field force had earlier left off.
Hurkos visits “Moonlight”
While Noone and his partners were still in the jungle, a controversial figure arrived at Tanah Rata
. He was Peter Hurkos
, a psychic investigator from the United States
. Hurkos came to the haven on Tuesday, April 25, with his personal secretary, Miss Stephany Farb, and Lieutenant Denis Horgan.
The first thing he did was to visit “Moonlight”. While he was at the address, he spent some time pacing the garden in an unusual manner. Then he stopped to feel a chair which was left at the veranda. After a short pause, he gave out a loud yell, “This is the chair! Yes, this is the chair that Thompson sat on just before he disappeared!” A brief silence followed. A few minutes later, he sat on the floor just outside the house. A photograph of Thompson and two maps were laid out. The first chart highlighted the countries of Asia; the second featured the details of the resort. While glancing at Thompson’s photograph, his face grew tensed. Later he broke out into a stammer:
"He was sitting in the chair… right over there… he was not sitting in the house… the chair was on the veranda… aagh, Prebi, ooogh… Thompson… Prebi, Pridi… fourteen people… fourteen people took him… Prebe or Bebe… orah blah-lun-dah Bebe… he is not in the jungle… I want to follow the route where they picked him up… he was sitting right there… this chair… there was nobody in the room… they were upstairs… he was sitting outside in this chair… this chair… not in the jungle… car… fourteen people… one vehicle, like a military vehicle… like a truck… I see truck… ah, truck, about from here on the road… he walks down the road… somebody woke him up… he was sitting outside and somebody came in here… a friend of his… Bebe or Prebie… Pridi has own army… no bandits… nothing to do with bandits… he walks about half a mile, with Bebe or Prebie… truck on the road… fourteen people… one person here, one person picked him up… he knows him… he was sitting on the veranda and the men came in… asked for something, I don’t know… he went down the road… got chloroform… chloroform… sleep in truck…"
After returning to his normal self, Hurkos had this to say, “it is ridiculous to look for Thompson at the Highlands
or even within a-hundred-and-sixty kilometer radius of it.”
“There is no way you’ll find him there,” he declared. “It’s just that he had been abducted to another country. You can take it from me he is not being held for ransom. I am prepared to stake my neck on this!”
“Thompson isn’t in the jungle”
On Wednesday, April 26, Noone and his two assistants, Rahim bin Kamman and Toh Pawang Angah Sidek, emerged from the forest. In all, they spent a total of thirty-six hours looking for Thompson.
“I am fully convinced,” Noone told a group of reporters, “that Thompson isn’t in the jungle. We went further into the woods, starting off from where the police field force men had earlier left off. But we could not find any clue which could be of use in leading us to him.
“During our survey, we came across a steep cliff. We had to turn back. I don’t think it would have been possible for Thompson at his age to have scaled that cliff. Furthermore, I don’t think he would have gone as far as we went if he did go into the wilderness.”
When told of Hurkos’ visit and his abduction theory, Noone expressed his surprise at the soothsayer’s claim that Thompson had been kidnapped and was being held as a captive.
“Telepathy,” he admitted, “is something new to me. If what Hurkos says is true, then it makes the search for Thompson all the more interesting.”
Thompson’s sister murdered
The last appearance of Thompson was unique in many ways: for the next few weeks, his eclipse was not only discussed at length; equally significant, it also became a subject which refused to die off on its own.
While many were trying to figure out what had happened to Thompson, another strange development came to light. On Wednesday, August 30, it was reported that his older sister, Mrs. Katherine Thompson Wood, 74, was found dead in her Pennsylvania
home.
Police believed that a blunt object was used to carry out the murder. They later said her death had no link to Thompson’s disappearance. Still, the coincidence (if that is what it was) left many people wondering.
Was Thompson behind his disappearance?
The mystery of Jim Thompson was not only puzzling; it also stirred many to come up with their own conclusion.
First and foremost, what were Thompson’s reasons for visiting the Highlands
? Moreover, what did he have in mind after the completion of his stay at the resort?
According to Mangskau, “[H]e was a tired man… That was why he came here for a holiday.” She was also quoted in the press as saying, “He was looking forward to going back to Bangkok
.”
But was this his actual arrangement? Not so. Thompson had in fact made plans with Mangskau and the Lings to go to Singapore
on the morning of March 27. The Lings were to drive him there so he would be able to keep his dinner appointment with Francis Joseph Galbraith, the United States ambassador to Singapore
, and Edward Pollitz, an American
capitalist who was exploring the possibility of establishing a textile company in the republic. But the day before that, Thompson disappeared. Why? Could it be that he was part of a “planned disappearance’’, or was it something else?
Recent information
One researcher believes the clue to Thompson’s mystery may lie in some bone fragments that were found at the Cameron Highlands
in 1985.
Captain Philip J. Rivers, a master mariner
, said he learned of the discovery while researching on Thompson’s disappearance in 2007.
“A DNA on the bones might possibly provide a fuller answer,” said Rivers at a lecture organised by the Perak Academy in Ipoh
, Malaysia on March 26, 2010.
To date, there has been no confirmation that the bones belong to Thompson. According to Rivers, however, “The bones are presently kept in a safe and secure place”.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
businessman who helped revitalize the Thai silk
Thai silk
Thai silk is produced from the cocoons of Thai silkworms. Thai weavers, mainly from the Khorat Plateau in the northeast region of Thailand, raise the caterpillars on a steady diet of mulberry leaves...
industry in the 1950s and 1960s. A former U.S. military intelligence
Military intelligence
Military intelligence is a military discipline that exploits a number of information collection and analysis approaches to provide guidance and direction to commanders in support of their decisions....
officer, Thompson mysteriously disappeared
Missing person
A missing person is a person who has disappeared for usually unknown reasons.Missing persons' photographs may be posted on bulletin boards, milk cartons, postcards, and websites, along with a phone number to be contacted if a sighting has been made....
from Malaysia's Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
while going for a walk on Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
Sunday, March 26, 1967.
Many hypotheses have been advanced to explain his disappearance. Theories range from his committing suicide to his being carried away by aborigines.
Education and professional background
Jim Thompson was the youngest of five children of Henry and Mary Thompson. His father was a wealthy textile manufacturer; his mother was a daughter of James Harrison WilsonJames H. Wilson
James Harrison Wilson was a United States Army topographic engineer, a Union Army Major General in the American Civil War and later wars, a railroad executive, and author.-Early life and engineering:...
, a noted Union general in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
.
Thompson spent his early years of education at St. Paul's boarding school. He graduated from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1928. Post-graduate studies followed at the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
’s School of Architecture but he did not get his degree at this institution due to his weakness in calculus.
From 1931 to 1940, he practiced in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
with Holden, McLaughlin & Associates, designing homes for the East Coast
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
rich and a band shell in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Rehoboth Beach is a city in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 1,327, a decrease of 11.2% from 2000...
.
During the 1930s, he led an active social life and sat on the board of the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo
Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo was a ballet company created by members of the Ballets Russes de Monte-Carlo in 1938 after Léonide Massine and René Blum had a falling-out with the co-founder Wassily de Basil...
. Before the decade came to a close, he not only became politically active; his liberal politics also alienated him from his family.
In 1941, he left his job and enlisted with the Delaware National Guard
Delaware National Guard
The Delaware National Guard consists of the:*Delaware Army National Guard*Delaware Air National Guard-External links:* compiled by the United States Army Center of Military History*...
regiment. He did well in training and became a commissioned officer after the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
.
World War II activities
At the height of the Second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Thompson was recruited by William Joseph Donovan
William Joseph Donovan
William Joseph Donovan was a United States soldier, lawyer and intelligence officer, best remembered as the wartime head of the Office of Strategic Services...
to serve in the Office of Strategic Services
Office of Strategic Services
The Office of Strategic Services was a United States intelligence agency formed during World War II. It was the wartime intelligence agency, and it was a predecessor of the Central Intelligence Agency...
(which in 1947 was disbanded in place of the newly formed Central Intelligence Agency
Central Intelligence Agency
The Central Intelligence Agency is a civilian intelligence agency of the United States government. It is an executive agency and reports directly to the Director of National Intelligence, responsible for providing national security intelligence assessment to senior United States policymakers...
).
His first call of duty was with the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
resistance forces in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. Later, he was sent to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. After Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day
Victory in Europe Day commemorates 8 May 1945 , the date when the World War II Allies formally accepted the unconditional surrender of the armed forces of Nazi Germany and the end of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. The formal surrender of the occupying German forces in the Channel Islands was not...
(May 7–8, 1945), he was transferred to Ceylon (now Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
). He was put in charge of the pro-Allied Seri Thai
Free Thai Movement
The Free Thai Movement was a Thai underground resistance movement against Imperial Japan during World War II. Seri Thai were an important source of military intelligence for the Allies in the region, and were notable for being the only World War II resistance movement to use fighter aircraft of its...
or Free Thai Movement
Free Thai Movement
The Free Thai Movement was a Thai underground resistance movement against Imperial Japan during World War II. Seri Thai were an important source of military intelligence for the Allies in the region, and were notable for being the only World War II resistance movement to use fighter aircraft of its...
. In August 1945, he was about to be deployed in Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
when the Surrender of Japan
Surrender of Japan
The surrender of Japan in 1945 brought hostilities of World War II to a close. By the end of July 1945, the Imperial Japanese Navy was incapable of conducting operations and an Allied invasion of Japan was imminent...
officially ended World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He arrived in Thailand shortly after Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day
Victory over Japan Day is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event...
to take charge of the Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
OSS office. In the spring of 1946, Thompson went to work for the American Legation, as military attaché to his former Princeton
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
classmate Charles Yost - the U.S. Minister to Thailand. As part of the Legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
, Thompson was able to use his contacts among the Free Thai and Free Lao groups to gather information and defuse conflicts on Thailand's borders. Working with them in the Legation
Legation
A legation was the term used in diplomacy to denote a diplomatic representative office lower than an embassy. Where an embassy was headed by an Ambassador, a legation was headed by a Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary....
was Kenneth Landon – whose wife was the author of Anna and the King of Siam, the inspiration for The King and I
The King and I (1956 film)
The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King...
.
Return to private industry
Thompson left the army in 1946. After his divorce, he devoted himself to revitalizing a cottage industry of hand-woven silkSilk
Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The best-known type of silk is obtained from the cocoons of the larvae of the mulberry silkworm Bombyx mori reared in captivity...
.
In 1948, he partnered George Barrie to found the Thai Silk Company. The establishment achieved a coup in 1951 when designer Irene Sharaff
Irene Sharaff
Irene Sharaff was an American costume designer for stage and screen. Her work earned her five Academy Awards and a Tony Award.- Background :...
made use of Thai silk
Thai silk
Thai silk is produced from the cocoons of Thai silkworms. Thai weavers, mainly from the Khorat Plateau in the northeast region of Thailand, raise the caterpillars on a steady diet of mulberry leaves...
fabrics for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, The King and I
The King and I (1956 film)
The King and I is a 1956 musical film made by 20th Century Fox, directed by Walter Lang and produced by Charles Brackett and Darryl F. Zanuck. The screenplay by Ernest Lehman is based on the Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II musical The King and I, based in turn on the book Anna and the King...
. From then on, the company prospered.
Thompson’s formula for success was not as complex as what one would make it out to be. It hinged on two factors.
“In the first instance,” he said, “we run a dependable operation. Whenever we come up with a pattern or color that sells well, we make sure we stick to its exact formula. That way, our customers can rest assured that when they re-order, they will get a consistent product.”
“Equally important,” he mentioned, “is that the cottage industry in this part of the world is more significant than what most people realize. Most of the weavers in this area either don’t care or don’t need to know who are buying their products. But it is necessary for us to know what our customers’ tastes and requirements are.”
Besides inventing the bright jewel tones and dramatic color combinations nowadays associated with Thai silk
Thai silk
Thai silk is produced from the cocoons of Thai silkworms. Thai weavers, mainly from the Khorat Plateau in the northeast region of Thailand, raise the caterpillars on a steady diet of mulberry leaves...
, he raised thousands of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
's poorest people out of poverty. His determination to keep his company cottage-based was significant for the women who made up the bulk of his work force. By allowing them to work at home, they retained their position in the household while becoming breadwinners. It was only after Thompson's disappearance that the Thai Silk Company relocated its weaving operations to Korat
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima or , often shortened to Korat or Khorat , is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand...
, a city which serves as a base of operations for the Royal Thai Army. Although it abandoned home-based weaving in favor of factories in the early 1970s, the Thai Silk Company's Korat
Nakhon Ratchasima Province
Nakhon Ratchasima or , often shortened to Korat or Khorat , is one of the north-eastern provinces of Thailand...
facility looks more like a landscaped campus than a factory.
Thompson’s 'House on the Klong'
Thompson was unlike any other figure in Southeast Asia. He was an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, an ex-architect, a retired army officer, a one-time spy, a silk merchant and a renowned collector of antiques. Most of his treasures, if not all, were amassed after he came to Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
In 1958, he began what was to be the pinnacle of his architectural achievement – the construction of a new home to showcase his objets de art.
Using parts of old up-country houses – some as old as a hundred years – he succeeded in constructing a masterpiece which involved the reassembling of six Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
dwellings. Most of the units were dismantled and moved from Ayutthaya
Ayutthaya (city)
Ayutthaya city is the capital of Ayutthaya province in Thailand. Located in the valley of the Chao Phraya River. The city was founded in 1350 by King U Thong, who went there to escape a smallpox outbreak in Lop Buri and proclaimed it the capital of his kingdom, often referred to as the Ayutthaya...
, but the largest – a weaver's house (now the living room) – came from Bangkrua.
In his quest for authenticity, he saw to it that some of the structures were elevated a full floor above the ground. During the construction stage, he added his own touches to the buildings by positioning, for instance, a central staircase indoors rather than having it outside. Along the way, he also reversed the wall panels of his quarters so that it now faced inside instead of it having an external orientation.
After he was through with its creation, he filled his home with the items he had collected in the past. Decorating his rooms were Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
blue-and-white Ming
Ming Dynasty
The Ming Dynasty, also Empire of the Great Ming, was the ruling dynasty of China from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol-led Yuan Dynasty. The Ming, "one of the greatest eras of orderly government and social stability in human history", was the last dynasty in China ruled by ethnic...
pieces, Belgian
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
glass, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
n carvings, Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
chandeliers, Benjarong
Benjarong
Benjarong ware is a kind of painted porcelain in Thailand. The name literally means 'five colors'. The painted decoration usually consists of 3 to 8 colors. For the decoration, repetitive forms, usually geometric or flower-based, are used...
earthenware, Thai
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
stone images, Burmese statues, and a dining table which was once used by King Rama V
Chulalongkorn
Phra Bat Somdet Phra Poramintharamaha Chulalongkorn Phra Chunla Chom Klao Chao Yu Hua , or Rama V was the fifth monarch of Siam under the House of Chakri. He was known to the Siamese of his time as Phra Phuttha Chao Luang . He is considered one of the greatest kings of Siam...
of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
.
In all, his ‘House on the Klong
Jim Thompson House
The Jim Thompson House is a museum in Bangkok. It is a complex of various old Thai structures that the American businessman Jim Thompson collected in from all parts of Thailand in the 1950s and 60s...
’ occupied a hectare in area. The garden was a mini-jungle.
It took Thompson almost a year to complete his mansion. Now a museum, the Jim Thompson House
Jim Thompson House
The Jim Thompson House is a museum in Bangkok. It is a complex of various old Thai structures that the American businessman Jim Thompson collected in from all parts of Thailand in the 1950s and 60s...
could be reached by public or private transport. Except for Sundays, it is open to the public from 9am to 4.30pm.
Disappearance
Thompson departs "Moonlight" for a strollThompson came to the Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
with Mrs. Constance (Connie) Mangskau on Friday, March 24, 1967. They stayed at "Moonlight" bungalow with Dr. Ling Tien Gi, a Singaporean-Chinese chemist and Mrs. Helen Ling, his white American-born wife.
On Easter Sunday, March 26, they attended the morning services at All Souls' Church
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
. Later that day, he went for a walk but failed to return.
Dr. Ling took it that Thompson left the estate at approximately 3.30pm. In an interview with The Straits Times, he said:
"I heard footsteps pass by my bedroom door about 3.30pm and presumed it was Mr. Thompson taking a stroll."
Mrs. Ling, however, felt otherwise. She told the Eastern Sun that Thompson left her home at 1.30pm. She said, "Mr. Thompson told her and Mrs. Mangskau at 1.30pm just before going for the walk: 'Good night, sweethearts'."
Asked why the 'good night' bit during noon, Mrs. Ling replied, "It has always been our practice, despite the time of the day or night to say good night whenever we wanted to retire for the night or for a siesta."
The report concluded, "... with the wave of the hand, Mr. Thompson was gone."
Thompson fails to return
After six, Dr. Ling got into his car and took a slow drive to a nearby club. He was confident he would meet Thompson along the way. He never did. When he returned home, he was puzzled as to where Thompson could have gone to. He later called his rental agent to inform him about Thompson’s absence. He felt since he knew the area rather well, word of Thompson’s whereabouts would soon be forthcoming. This, however, did not come to pass.
At 8.30pm, he went ahead and lodged a police report. He was told that word of his missing friend would be filtered down to the settlements in the area. He was also informed if Thompson failed to show up, an inquiry would be conducted the following morning.
Police comb area
At daybreak, about five policemen showed up at “Moonlight”. After taking a look at Thompson’s passport, they left the scene. Later that morning, the police, with the help of thirty aborigines, combed the area. The survey was intensive but there was just no trace of him. Before noon, news of his disappearance began to spread. Now, there were more than a hundred people looking for him.
Massive hunt for Thompson
The following day (March 28), the biggest hunt in Malaysian history was staged. The police came complete with loud hailers, walkie-talkies, field telephones, pistols and sub-machine guns.
The sweep of the forest was fairly thorough. It went on without a break. Till late in the evening, no one was able to find Thompson. The police concluded that he could either be trapped or accidentally injured. However, they were convinced he would somehow or other be able to find his way back. His previous jungle-survival training, they reasoned, would be sufficient to see him through whatever difficulties he was in.
Last known sightings
On Wednesday, March 29, the police were provided with some clues which they found to be useful in their quest to locate Thompson.
Che Fatimah binte Mohamed Yeh, 24, a cook at the Lutheran Mission bungalow, told Superintendent A.S. Nathan she saw Thompson on Sunday at about 4pm.
“I was in the kitchen,” she said, “when I saw him come up the road. He had on a white shirt and a pair of gray slacks. He stopped for a while to take a look at the garden. While looking at the plants, he did not speak to anyone. A short while later, he left the premises and headed the same way from where he came.”
In a separate report, a servant at the Overseas Missionary Fellowship mansion informed the police she saw a man who resembled Thompson standing on a plateau opposite the property. According to her, he was there at around 4pm. After thirty minutes or so, he was not to be seen.
The last person who saw him was an employee of the Eastern Hotel (which is now known as the Century Pines Resort). He was sure he saw someone who looked like Thompson heading in the direction of the track which led to the golf course.
Rewards
The Thai Silk Company was the first to declare a reward for the finder of Thompson. Charles U. Sheffield, 40, who was appointed acting manager, announced that “a generous reward of US$10,000 will be paid by the Thai Silk Company to any person or persons” who succeeded in finding Thompson.
The offer was made on Wednesday, March 29, that is, three days after Thompson was reported as lost. This incentive was a close follow-up to the strong rumors in the Thai capital that he could have been kidnapped and taken to another country.
Apart from this, two other rewards were also declared. On her part, Mrs. Mangskau affirmed she was more than willing to hand out a reward to anyone who knew where Thompson could be found. She left the details of her “handsome reward” with the police at Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. The name "tanah rata" means flat ground in Malay and it refers to the relatively flat area on which the town is located amidst this highland region....
.
The Malaysian police
Royal Malaysian Police
The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
, in line with tradition, also came up with a remuneration amounting to RM10,000 (about US$3,000). The payment, which was approved by the Inspector General of Police, was valid for a period of three months.
General Black joins in the hunt
On Friday, March 31, Brigadier-General Edwin Black came to the resort. He visited “Moonlight” with his aide, Lieutenant Denis Horgan and his friend, Dean Frasche. While they were at the bungalow, they were briefed by Mrs. Ling and Mrs. Mangskau about the developments which unfolded prior to Thompson’s going astray.
The following morning, the trio got up early and arranged for an aerial tower to be positioned near the house. The gadget was designed to throw a radar communication ‘net’ which covered a radius of approximately sixteen kilometers. Lieutenant Horgan was put in charge of the device.
General Black then headed for the forest to conduct a survey of his own. He was in constant contact with his aide while being accompanied by Frasche and two aborigines. Apart from being able to keep in touch with his assistant, General Black was also able to establish radio contact with the other parties who were on the lookout for Thompson.
The search conducted on Saturday, April 1, was indeed extensive. Joining in the exploration were two hundred more officers and men from Perak’s police field force. They were earlier engaged in a training operation at Tambun near Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
. They came to the hill station from Tanjung Rambutan after making their way through the woods. They were later ordered to merge with the other parties who were based at Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. The name "tanah rata" means flat ground in Malay and it refers to the relatively flat area on which the town is located amidst this highland region....
.
On Monday, General Black and his crew decided to call off their search. They left the scene and headed for Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
. While resting at the Malaysian capital, the commander told a group of reporters that “there has been absolutely no trace of Thompson’s whereabouts.” “Thompson,” he reasoned, “has knowledge of jungle survival. This would have enabled him to survive for a few days. On realizing he was lost, he would have been on the lookout for a stream. He would have subsequently followed it expecting to come to a village.
“I find his disappearance rather strange. There has not been a single clue, not a bit of torn clothing or even a shoe. According to the police, a ransom is usually demanded within a time frame of forty-eight hours. Nothing of that sort has surfaced since the day he went missing.”
The search winds down
The pursuit for Thompson went on uninterruptedly for eleven days. On their part, the police did put in a concerted effort to find for him. On the twelfth day, there was a change in their operation: more than two hundred officers and men were ordered to head back to their base in Perak
Perak
Perak , one of the 13 states of Malaysia, is the second largest state in the Peninsular Malaysia bordering Kedah and Yala Province of Thailand to the north, Penang to the northwest, Kelantan and Pahang to the east, Selangor the Strait of Malacca to the south and west.Perak means silver in Malay...
. Only a force numbering less than a hundred was instructed to stay behind.
With the dwindling of the police field force, the casting about for Thompson took on a different twist – the seekers narrowed down to two categories: the first were experts who knew the place like the back of their hands; the second were those who delved into the supernatural. Both parties were just as confident of success; they were more than eager to track Thompson down.
Noone engaged to look for Thompson
On Sunday, April 23, Richard Noone, 49, a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
officer with the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
Southeast Asia Treaty Organization
The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, or Manila Pact, signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February...
came onto the scene. He was no stranger to the jungles of the area. At one stage, he served as head of the Malayan Department of Aborigines.
After two days of planning, Noone, a Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
-trained anthropologist, went into the woods with two assistants. Both helpers were equally at home in any tropical rainforest: one was a border scout from Sarawak
Sarawak
Sarawak is one of two Malaysian states on the island of Borneo. Known as Bumi Kenyalang , Sarawak is situated on the north-west of the island. It is the largest state in Malaysia followed by Sabah, the second largest state located to the North- East.The administrative capital is Kuching, which...
, the other was an aborigine witch doctor. While they were in the wilds, they met a few aborigines but they were unable to provide the threesome with leads as to where Thompson could be found. Undiscouraged, the group carried on exploring in the hope of meeting up with him from where the field force had earlier left off.
Hurkos visits “Moonlight”
While Noone and his partners were still in the jungle, a controversial figure arrived at Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata
Tanah Rata is a town located in Cameron Highlands, Pahang, Malaysia. The name "tanah rata" means flat ground in Malay and it refers to the relatively flat area on which the town is located amidst this highland region....
. He was Peter Hurkos
Peter Hurkos
Peter Hurkos , born Pieter van der Hurk, was a Dutchman who allegedly manifested extra-sensory perception following a head injury and coma resulting from a fall from a ladder when he was age 30. During World War II he was a member of the Dutch Resistance against the Nazis and was imprisoned in...
, a psychic investigator from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Hurkos came to the haven on Tuesday, April 25, with his personal secretary, Miss Stephany Farb, and Lieutenant Denis Horgan.
The first thing he did was to visit “Moonlight”. While he was at the address, he spent some time pacing the garden in an unusual manner. Then he stopped to feel a chair which was left at the veranda. After a short pause, he gave out a loud yell, “This is the chair! Yes, this is the chair that Thompson sat on just before he disappeared!” A brief silence followed. A few minutes later, he sat on the floor just outside the house. A photograph of Thompson and two maps were laid out. The first chart highlighted the countries of Asia; the second featured the details of the resort. While glancing at Thompson’s photograph, his face grew tensed. Later he broke out into a stammer:
"He was sitting in the chair… right over there… he was not sitting in the house… the chair was on the veranda… aagh, Prebi, ooogh… Thompson… Prebi, Pridi… fourteen people… fourteen people took him… Prebe or Bebe… orah blah-lun-dah Bebe… he is not in the jungle… I want to follow the route where they picked him up… he was sitting right there… this chair… there was nobody in the room… they were upstairs… he was sitting outside in this chair… this chair… not in the jungle… car… fourteen people… one vehicle, like a military vehicle… like a truck… I see truck… ah, truck, about from here on the road… he walks down the road… somebody woke him up… he was sitting outside and somebody came in here… a friend of his… Bebe or Prebie… Pridi has own army… no bandits… nothing to do with bandits… he walks about half a mile, with Bebe or Prebie… truck on the road… fourteen people… one person here, one person picked him up… he knows him… he was sitting on the veranda and the men came in… asked for something, I don’t know… he went down the road… got chloroform… chloroform… sleep in truck…"
After returning to his normal self, Hurkos had this to say, “it is ridiculous to look for Thompson at the Highlands
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
or even within a-hundred-and-sixty kilometer radius of it.”
“There is no way you’ll find him there,” he declared. “It’s just that he had been abducted to another country. You can take it from me he is not being held for ransom. I am prepared to stake my neck on this!”
“Thompson isn’t in the jungle”
On Wednesday, April 26, Noone and his two assistants, Rahim bin Kamman and Toh Pawang Angah Sidek, emerged from the forest. In all, they spent a total of thirty-six hours looking for Thompson.
“I am fully convinced,” Noone told a group of reporters, “that Thompson isn’t in the jungle. We went further into the woods, starting off from where the police field force men had earlier left off. But we could not find any clue which could be of use in leading us to him.
“During our survey, we came across a steep cliff. We had to turn back. I don’t think it would have been possible for Thompson at his age to have scaled that cliff. Furthermore, I don’t think he would have gone as far as we went if he did go into the wilderness.”
When told of Hurkos’ visit and his abduction theory, Noone expressed his surprise at the soothsayer’s claim that Thompson had been kidnapped and was being held as a captive.
“Telepathy,” he admitted, “is something new to me. If what Hurkos says is true, then it makes the search for Thompson all the more interesting.”
Thompson’s sister murdered
The last appearance of Thompson was unique in many ways: for the next few weeks, his eclipse was not only discussed at length; equally significant, it also became a subject which refused to die off on its own.
While many were trying to figure out what had happened to Thompson, another strange development came to light. On Wednesday, August 30, it was reported that his older sister, Mrs. Katherine Thompson Wood, 74, was found dead in her Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
home.
Police believed that a blunt object was used to carry out the murder. They later said her death had no link to Thompson’s disappearance. Still, the coincidence (if that is what it was) left many people wondering.
Was Thompson behind his disappearance?
The mystery of Jim Thompson was not only puzzling; it also stirred many to come up with their own conclusion.
First and foremost, what were Thompson’s reasons for visiting the Highlands
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
? Moreover, what did he have in mind after the completion of his stay at the resort?
According to Mangskau, “[H]e was a tired man… That was why he came here for a holiday.” She was also quoted in the press as saying, “He was looking forward to going back to Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
.”
But was this his actual arrangement? Not so. Thompson had in fact made plans with Mangskau and the Lings to go to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
on the morning of March 27. The Lings were to drive him there so he would be able to keep his dinner appointment with Francis Joseph Galbraith, the United States ambassador to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, and Edward Pollitz, an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
capitalist who was exploring the possibility of establishing a textile company in the republic. But the day before that, Thompson disappeared. Why? Could it be that he was part of a “planned disappearance’’, or was it something else?
Recent information
One researcher believes the clue to Thompson’s mystery may lie in some bone fragments that were found at the Cameron Highlands
Cameron Highlands
The Cameron Highlands is one of Malaysia’s most extensive hill stations. It covers an area of .To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak....
in 1985.
Captain Philip J. Rivers, a master mariner
Master mariner
A Master Mariner or MM is the professional qualification required for someone to serve as the person in charge or person in command of a commercial vessel. In England, the term Master Mariner has been in use at least since the 13th century, reflecting the fact that in guild or livery company terms,...
, said he learned of the discovery while researching on Thompson’s disappearance in 2007.
“A DNA on the bones might possibly provide a fuller answer,” said Rivers at a lecture organised by the Perak Academy in Ipoh
Ipoh
Ipoh is the capital city of Perak state, Malaysia. It is approximately 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur on the North-South Expressway....
, Malaysia on March 26, 2010.
To date, there has been no confirmation that the bones belong to Thompson. According to Rivers, however, “The bones are presently kept in a safe and secure place”.
External links
- The Thai Silk Company
- Jim Thompson House
- Jim Thompson Quiz
- Jim Thompson disappearance in brief
- Tracking the Legend: My Search for Jim Thompson by Francine Matthews, former CIA agent
- The Curious Case of Jim Thompson, Thai Silk King by Kenneth Champeon
- Jim Thompson, The Unsolved Mystery by William Warren
- Jim Thompson, the Thai Silk King www.YouTube.com
- Jim Thompson: Down Memory Lane by Edward Roy De Souza
- SOLVED! The "Mysterious" Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King by Edward Roy De Souza