Disappearances happen all the time, to people from all walks of life. This is a phenomenon that affects the poor and the disadvantaged, as well as the favorites of fortune. Indeed, throughout history there have been many major disappearances that have managed to cause shock not only for their strange nature, but also for the high-profile status of the victims. Among the most mysterious of these is the disappearance of one of the most important foreigners ever to live in Thailand. This rich man was a legend of his time, who lived his dream in his own paradise built by him. But, despite this, he managed to disappear from the face of the earth into the world of obscurity.
James Harrison Wilson Thompson was born in 1906 to a wealthy family in Delaware, USA. After graduating from Princeton University, he also studied architecture at the University of Pennsylvania and, after graduation, was involved in designing homes for the wealthy. In the 1930s, he became a certified architect and his designs were in demand. Before World War II, with the backing of the Delaware National Guard, he enlisted as an agent for the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor of the current CIA.
During World War II, Thompson ended up in Bangkok and fell madly in love with Thailand. Therefore, when the war ended, he decided to stay there. In Thailand, he took a great interest in the production of Thai silk and, with a small investment, founded a Thai silk company in 1948, which, thanks to its bright colors and high quality fabrics, gained immense popularity. Its products have even been used in famous American musicals. As a result, Thompson's silk empire became legendary. He almost single-handedly turned Thai silk into a world famous brand, completely revitalizing the country's economy.
By all accounts, Thompson became the hero of Thailand and, leaving America and his wife behind, focused entirely on the silk trade and became a major player in Bangkok's high society. In 1959, he took advantage of his experience as an architect and built a luxurious mansion for himself, often called the Moonlight Bungalow. The Thai architecture teak house with its many quaint villas, walkways and green gardens is still considered the main attraction of Bangkok today. The impressive mansion and its expansive collection of priceless art objects became the center for countless parties where all of high society gathered.
On March 26, 1967, Jim Thompson went for a walk in the Cameron Highlands, located 200 km north of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, at an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level. He had several friends with him, including his close friend Constance Mangskau, a chemist from Singapore Lin Tian and his wife Helen Lin. Thompson only wanted to make a short excursion to get some fresh air, but he never returned and was never seen again.
Given the high, almost legendary status of Thompson, it is not surprising that a wide search began immediately. Hundreds of people, planes and hunting dogs, the military, police, local tribes and scores of volunteers combed the wild jungle for months, but no trace of Thompson was found. The Thai authorities invited local psychics and spiritual mediums to try to locate Thomas, but he remained elusive. The dogs were unable to detect Thompson's scent, leading to speculation that he may have been kidnapped in a car.
One theory is that Thompson was the victim of some kind of conspiracy. In the end, he took off in a wave of luck so quickly that enemies could stand in his way. There were many people who were not averse to eliminating Thompson, but his body was not found. There was also the possibility that he was kidnapped, but no one demanded ransom. Thompson may have drawn some contempt among Thais for his stunning collection of ancient art. Indeed, the Moonlight Bungalow contained one of the world's finest collections of art and antiques from Southeast Asia. He collected an incredible array of paintings, statues, pottery, scrolls, porcelain, pottery, carvings, and even five stolen Buddha heads. Thus, his luxurious home was a real museum of artifacts, and it seems to becaused hostility among the local residents.
“Thompson seemed to emphasize with his collection of Thai art and his successful silk business that he knew more about Thailand than the Thai people themselves. Some Thais were outraged by Thompson's success,”says Joshua Kurlantsik, Thompson's biographer.
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Perhaps someone decided to get rid of Thompson and return the artwork that rightfully belonged to the Thai people. There is another theory that he just got lost in the jungle and died from hunger or wild animals. But Thompson was a very accomplished hiker who made frequent jungle treks and also served in the National Guard.
The speculation that Thompson deliberately disappeared in order to start his life over or to take part in the efforts to end the Vietnam War, which he strongly criticized, is completely unfounded. He was a wealthy man and lived in a country he loved and cherished. He was living a dream. Why would he leave it all?
There is even a theory that he still works for the CIA, but the CIA vehemently denies this. After all, nobody knows what happened to Jim Thompson.
In the years since the disappearance, there has been various intriguing evidence. A chef from a nearby Lutheran bungalow claimed to have seen the missing Thompson, who stood on the plateau for about 30 minutes, and then "suddenly disappeared." There was another witness who testified that he saw Thompson in Tahiti a few months after his disappearance. Some claimed to have seen a group of five vehicles driving up the road to the area where the missing person was last seen.
In addition to this whole bizarre story, Thompson's sister was found beaten to death six months later at her home in the United States. But no strong connection was found between the two events. In 1985, human remains were discovered on the territory of the Cameron Highlands. However, no one could prove they belonged to Thompson, and the place where they were found was too far from where the silk tycoon disappeared.
“It's likely that Thompson got lost in the jungle, just as Amelia Earhart crashed somewhere in the Pacific and Elvis Presley died in 1977, but conspiracy theorists rarely shave with Occam's razor. Thompson left such a tangle of intrigue and speculation, which is impossible to unravel until now, "says one of Thompson's biographers named William Warren, referring to the logical principle" Occam's Razor ", which says:" You should not multiply things unnecessarily."
There is one thing in common with all this scattered information about the mysterious disappearance - no one has the faintest idea of where Jim Thompson went or what became of him. Was he a victim of international intrigue, fierce rivals, or enemies who envied his rapid rise to success? Is it really the work of disgruntled Thais, who were outraged that he was the owner of their priceless relics and artifacts? Maybe he got lost in the desert and died? Or were they aliens, right? Ultimately, none of these questions can be answered, and the fate of Thailand's legendary personality remains a mystery.
Voronina Svetlana
