Following on from the excellent reception in New York, Thompson’s Thai Silk business prospered in the 1950's, and in 1967 he opened his first shop on the iconic Surawong Road in Bangkok.

Jim also acquired a diverse collection of Thai and Southeast Asian art and antiques. By the late 1950’s, his collection was so extensive that he built a place to house his splendid collection. In 1959, Thompson’s famous House on the Klong, made up of six old teakwood houses from Bangkok (Banh Krua) and Ayutthaya province (Pak Hai), was completed.