Where to buy Thai silk in Bangkok? The most dependable answer is Jim Thompson, the company founded in 1950 that did much to bring Thai silk to international attention. Its store list shows a flagship on Surawong Road in Bang Rak, a shop at the Jim Thompson House Museum and branches in most of the city's major malls and several hotels. For the history and craft behind the fabric, visit the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles inside the Grand Palace grounds before you shop.
Jim Thompson: the flagship and the museum shop
Surawong flagship
The Jim Thompson Surawong store, at 9 Surawong Road in Bang Rak, is the brand's flagship and the place to see the widest range in one visit: silk by the piece, scarves, clothing, cushion covers and other home pieces. The company describes itself as a vertically integrated maker of handwoven fabrics, handling fiber preparation, dyeing, weaving, printing and finishing itself. It is a sensible first stop if you want to compare weights and colors before deciding.
Jim Thompson House Museum shop
The store at Jim Thompson House Museum, on Soi Kasemsan 2 off Rama I Road, pairs shopping with the house itself: the teak buildings and art collection that Jim Thompson assembled in central Bangkok, now run by the James H.W. Thompson Foundation. It is close to the Siam shopping district, so it fits easily into a day around the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre and the Siam malls.
Jim Thompson in malls and hotels
If you would rather shop somewhere with air conditioning and other stores nearby, Jim Thompson's own store locator lists these Bangkok branches (opening hours are in the questions below):
- Siam and Ratchaprasong: Siam Paragon, CentralWorld, Central Chidlom and Central Embassy, all within the central shopping belt served by BTS Siam and Chit Lom. Our guide to the biggest malls in Bangkok helps you plan the area.
- Sukhumvit: EmQuartier, on Sukhumvit Soi 39.
- Riverside: ICONSIAM on Charoen Nakhon Road, plus shops inside Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok and Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort.
- Dusit: a shop at The Siam, the riverside hotel on Khao Road.
- Silom and Lumphini: Central Park Dusit on Rama IV Road and The Storey at One Bangkok on Wittayu Road.
- Duty free and outlet: King Power Rangnam, King Power at Don Mueang Airport Terminal 1, and a store the company calls its outlet, on Sukhumvit Soi 93 in Phra Khanong.
Learn before you buy: Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles
The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles occupies the Ratsadakorn-bhibhathana Building on the grounds of the Grand Palace. According to the museum, the building was erected in 1870 under King Rama V and once housed the Ministry of Finance; in 2003 Queen Sirikit asked to use it for a textile museum, and it now includes Thailand's first dedicated textile conservation laboratory. Its current exhibition, Royal Court Textiles of Siam, runs until April 30, 2027.
A visit gives you a feel for the weaves, patterns and garments that shaped Thai dress, which makes it easier to judge what you see in shops afterward. Admission is included in the Grand Palace entry ticket, photography is not allowed in the galleries, and the museum has its own store selling design items. The nearest river stop is Tha Chang pier.
Two ways to plan a silk day
Old City and river. Start at the Grand Palace in the morning and see the textile museum while you are inside the grounds. From Tha Chang pier you can continue by river toward the riverside hotels, where Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok has a Jim Thompson shop, or cross to ICONSIAM on the Thonburi bank.
Siam and Pathum Wan. Tour Jim Thompson House, browse its shop, then continue to the Siam malls, where Siam Paragon, CentralWorld and Central Chidlom each have a branch. This version works well on a hot or rainy afternoon, since most of it is indoors, and you can compare the same collections in more than one store before buying.
Tips for buying Thai silk
- Buy from a named maker. A brand store gives you a label with fiber content, a receipt and a known place to ask questions later.
- Ask how it was made. Handwoven and machine-woven silk differ in price and texture; staff at brand stores can tell you which you are looking at.
- Check care instructions. Many silks need dry cleaning or gentle hand washing, which matters for clothing you plan to wear often.
- Think about yardage early. If you want fabric for curtains or upholstery at home, measure before you travel.
- Keep receipts. Tourists can claim VAT refunds on eligible purchases at participating stores; ask for the form when you pay.
For more ideas, browse our Bangkok shopping guide and what to buy in Bangkok.
Sources: Jim Thompson store locator, Jim Thompson, About us, Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, history, Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, visit us, Royal Court Textiles of Siam. Checked September 26, 2026.
At 9 Surawong Road, Bang Rak. Jim Thompson's store locator lists it as open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, phone +66 65 518 6900. Checked September 26, 2026.
Per Jim Thompson's store locator: Siam Paragon, EmQuartier, Central Embassy, One Bangkok and King Power Rangnam 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; CentralWorld, Central Chidlom, ICONSIAM and Central Park Dusit 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Mandarin Oriental and Anantara Riverside 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; The Siam 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.; King Power Don Mueang 24 hours. Checked September 26, 2026.
Yes. The store at 6/1-6/2 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, is listed as open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Checked September 26, 2026.
Its store locator lists an outlet at 153 Sukhumvit Soi 93, Phra Khanong, open 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. Checked September 26, 2026.
The Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles, inside the Grand Palace grounds, is open daily 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. with last admission at 3:30 p.m., and admission is included in the Grand Palace entry ticket. Jim Thompson House Museum also tells the story of the man who promoted Thai silk abroad. Checked September 26, 2026.
No. The museum states that photography is not permitted in the galleries, and large bags, backpacks and umbrellas must be checked.
The company says it was founded in 1950 by James H.W. Thompson, an American architect and art collector.
