Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/03/31 22:21
Instalment No. 4
Jim's founding of the Thai Silk Company
"Jim was particularly excited that silk was gradually becoming a hit among the fashion-conscious. While moving around, he came across a run-down shop which sold Thai silk. For a while, he toyed with the idea that he could improve on the quality of the material. But he realised he was unable to do so immediately because of a shortage of funds. That same year, however, a chance came his way. He met George Barrie, an old-time friend from Santa Monica, California. He brought George to the Chinese silk shop. George was amazed at what he saw. At first sight, he knew Thai silk had the potential of being a marketable item. Towards the end of 1948, George partnered Jim to form the Thai Silk Company. It was capitalised at US$25,000. They each bought eighteen per cent of its shares. The remaining sixty-four per cent were sold to both Thai and foreign investors."
Excerpts from Chapter Three, page 7, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/01 23:21
Instalment No. 5
Jim's 'House on the Klong'
Jim 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, a millionaire and a renowned collector of antiques. Most of his treasures, if not all, were amassed since the day he first came to Thailand. As time slipped by, his assortment outgrew its surroundings and this left him with not much of a choice but to find a suitable place to house them. For quite some time he toyed with the idea of constructing a dwelling which was quite unlike any other in the region. Apart from serving as his place of residence, it also had to double up as a repository for his artifacts. It was a tall order, no doubt, but he managed to achieve it nevertheless. Using parts of old up-country houses - some as old as a hundred and twenty years - he succeeded in completing his 'House on the Klong' in 1959. It was basically a colony of six traditional houses which were reassembled into his much larger place of abode. The units were dismantled and brought over via river from the ancient Thai capital of Ayutthaya. On arrival, they were carefully offloaded and pieced together. Of the six, three were left untouched.
In his quest for authenticity, he saw to it that the imposing 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 in his home so that it now faced inside instead of it having an external orientation.
While the final outcome of his domicile may not have been as what one would expect traditionally, it could be taken that Jim had a certain fondness for it. After he was through with its creation, he went ahead and filled his home with the items which he had collected over the years. Scattered about his rooms were scores of Chinese blue-and-white Ming pieces, Belgian glass, Cambodian stone figures, Victorian chandeliers, five-coloured Bencharong, Thai stone images, Burmese statues and a dining table which was once used by King Rama V of Thailand.
In all, his mammoth 'House on the Klong' took up close to a hectare in area. The garden around the habitation was nothing short of a lush, well-kept mini-jungle. On it stood a typical Thai spirit house.
It took Jim almost a year to put his house in order. On completion, it turned out to be an architectural masterpiece. The press were quick to describe it as "one of the wonders of the East". In several ways, they were right: till today, it stands out as one of Bangkok's most charming attractions.
Excerpts from Chapter Four, pages 9 & 10, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/06 19:48
Instalment No. 6
Jim visits the Cameron Highlands
There is no doubt that Jim was, in very many ways, responsible for bringing the Thai silk industry to the forefront. It started off with nothing new; over time, Thai silk, which was unknown to the outside world, grew in both demand and popularity. Jim was especially proud of his contribution; it gave him a deep sense of joy and accomplishment. However, his success came with a price. To a large extent, it drained him.
His friends and business associates were well aware of the fact that his work was slowly beginning to have an effect on his health. Out of good cheer, they encouraged him to take a break. He did so.
On Friday, March 24, 1967, he and Mrs. Constance Mangskau, 59, took the occasion to holiday at Malaysia's Cameron Highlands. Located on the northwestern tip of Pahang, the outpost is one of Malaysia's most extensive hill stations. It is about fifty kilometers off the main Kuala Lumpur-Ipoh-Butterworth road at Tapah, Perak.
The Highlands has long been a favourite stopover for the many who want to escape from the heat of the lowlands. It got its name from William Cameron, a British surveyor who was commissioned by the then colonial government to map out the area in 1885. In a statement concerning his mapping expedition, William mentioned that he saw "a vortex in the mountains, while for a (reasonably) wide area we have gentle slopes and plateau land".
When approached, the late Sir Hugh Low, the Resident of Perak, expressed the wish of developing the flat terrain as a "sanatorium, health resort and open farmland". But it was not until twenty years later that the first pioneers managed to find their way to the top of 'Cameron's Land'. They were soon followed by tea planters and vegetable growers who found the fertile soil, good drainage and cool climate to be especially suitable for the growing of their crops.
On the whole, the Highlands can be considered as a world in miniature. It occupies the smallest constituency in Pahang, taking up an area of around 448 square kilometres. To the north, its boundary touches that of Kelantan; to the west, it shares part of its border with Perak. During the day, the temperature seldom soars above 25 degrees Celsius. At night, it is quite the opposite: the temperature can sometimes drop to as low as 3 degrees Celsius. The cool climate makes it an ideal place for tea to be grown. The growing of tea had its beginnings in 1926 when the British started the first plantations with saplings brought over from India. Today, there are no less than five established tea estates at the haven.
Apart from tea, the moorland is also noted for its insect life, jungle tracks, waterfalls, soaring peaks, scenic spots and last but not least, it awe-inspiring natives.
The aborigines of the region are believed to have migrated into the area long before the arrival of the Malays. On the surface, their lifestyle has always been made out to be both primitive and backward. But this has gradually changed over the years. While many have left to take up employment and residence in the nearby towns, there are still some who prefer to treat the jungle as their home. The woodlands that they live in can be considered as thick and dense but the challenges that it has to offer are indeed varied. Many who have been to the terminal have acknowledged this to be so. Jim was no exception. He found the appeal of the forest to be both irresistible and infinite. So too did his friend, Dr Tien Gi Ling, a Singaporean-Chinese chemist and Helen, his white American-born wife.
Excerpts from Chapter Five, pages 13-15, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/12 22:52
Instalment No. 7 (a)
Jim's close shave
The Lings were the owners of Moonlight bungalow, a Tudor-style dwelling which is located at No. A47, Jalan Kamunting, 39000, Tanah Rata. Situated about two kilometres from Jalan Besar, the villa is actually somewhere between the townships of Tanah Rata and Brinchang.
As far as Jim and Constance were concerned, this was their third invitation to the Ling's estate. It could be said that the foursome not only got along well; by the same token, all four shared the same love and fondness for the jungle.
When they met up on Friday, their get-together did not take up very much of their time. This was due to the fact that they reached the bungalow at different times: the first to do so was Dr Ling; Jim and Constance were next; Helen, who was tied up with a business deal, arrived at eight. The trip up was no joke - they all found it to be long and taxing. After a short dinner, they agreed to call it a day.
The next morning, while the two ladies were engrossed with their conversation, Jim and Dr Ling took the occasion to explore the tropical rainforest for themselves. They were just as anxious to try out a new trail which Dr Ling had previously discovered. After the hike, they were supposed to meet up with the two ladies at a nearby club. But their afternoon plan almost turned out to be a nightmare: along the way, it became evident to the two of them that they were lost. When they failed to show up, the women became upset. For a moment, Helen did entertain the thought of wanting to contact the police. It was only after eleven that Jim managed to spot a narrow stream. He carefully traced it and in a matter of an hour or so, they were back to familiar surroundings. Both of them were just as worn out when they strolled into the club. During the hike, Dr Ling had pulled a ligament and it was obvious that he was a bit shaken by his morning adventure. But not so for Jim. He was especially elated that the two of them got lost along the way. While he was at the clubhouse, he gave Constance, Helen and a few of his other friends a rough run down of what transpired while he and Dr Ling were in thick jungle.
When his narration came to an end, the party left the premises and made their way for Moonlight. After lunch, they agreed to have an afternoon siesta.
At about 4.30pm they got up for some tea and gave the garden a brief inspection. After a short dinner, they retired to their respective rooms for a deserving rest.
Excerpts from Chapter Six, pages 17-18, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6)
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/18 21:54
Instalment No. 7 (b)
Jim's change of mind
The following Sunday morning, they got up early to attend a religious service at a nearby Protestant chapel. Their programme for the day was to spend some time in church following which they were to adjourn for a picnic at Gunong (Mount) Brinchang. While the rest were getting themselves ready, Jim informed them that he would be taking a slow walk to the foot of the hill. He later met up with them at the Jalan Kamunting/Jalan Besar road junction and they all drove on to Tanah Rata to attend the Easter service at All Souls' Church.
When the services came to an end, they returned to their living quarters to collect a hamper which they had earlier put aside for their planned picnic. While they were at the lodge, Jim gave them a surprise by suggesting that the picnic be held in the garden instead. For a moment, the others were taken aback by his sudden change of mind. After some persuasion, they managed to win him over to their original plan.
The drive to their selected site did not take up more than thirty minutes of their time. At the picnic, it became obvious that Jim was not his usual self; he seemed to be troubled by something that had either been said or done. For a short interval, none of them was able to make out what was actually on his mind. Sensing a funny change in his character, the Lings suggested that he take a rest in the open. He declined their offer and preferred instead that their gathering be called off. Not wanting to be a further source of disappointment to him, the trio complied with his request.
Excerpts from Chapter Six, page 18, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/22 22:11
Instalment No. 7 (c)
Jim fails to return
They left the site... and got back to their provisional home. Since they had no other plans for the afternoon, it was reported that Jim chose to sit in the hall while the rest opted for their respective rooms.
A short while later, he got up and left the house. After he had gone, it later became evident that he had left his suit jacket over the back of a chair. Apart from this, he also left behind his pill box, a box of cigarettes and a lighter.
During his last visit to the base, which was about five years ago, it was made known that he was stung by hornets about a kilometre from Moonlight. He did then inform Constance and his other friends that he would like to visit this same spot on his next trip. Whether he did so or not, no one really knows. But one thing is for sure: he did leave the chalet for a pre-dinner stroll; he failed to return by 6pm.
Excerpts from Chapter Six, pages 18-19, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/27 16:20
Instalment No. 8 (a)
Jim heads for the Lutheran Mission bungalow
On Wednesday, March 29, the police were provided with a few pointers which they found to be especially helpful in their quest to locate Jim.
Che Fatimah binte Mohamed Yeh, 24, a cook at the Lutheran Mission bungalow, told superintendent A.S. Nathan that she saw Jim 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."
Excerpts from Chapter Seven, page 21, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/04/30 22:02
Instalment No. 8 (b)
Jim seen at two different locations
In a separate report, a servant employed at the Overseas Mission Fellowship bungalow informed the police that she saw a man who looked like Jim. She said she saw him standing on a plateau which happens to be opposite the mansion. According to her, he was seen standing 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 former Eastern Hotel (which is now known as the New Garden Inn). He was quite sure he saw someone who resembled Jim heading in the direction of the track which led to the golf course.
Excerpts from Chapter Seven, page 21, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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john
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/02 14:26
very interesting where to buy this book
will be there next month
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/02 22:32
Dear John,
I'm sorry I do not know where you hail from. If you're keen in getting hold of a copy of my book, please refer to my earlier replies on pages 1 and 2.
Regards and best wishes.
Edward Roy De Souza
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/04 21:29
Instalment No. 9 (a)
Jim's disappearance causes concern
The sudden eclipse of Jim certainly came as a shock to many; this was especially so for those who knew him reasonably well. But they were not put off by the news that came their way. Put simply, they were quite confident that Jim would somehow surface again. One such person was Constance. According to her, they had known each other for more than twenty-two years. When queried about his character, she remembered a trip which they made to the Himalayas a few years back.
"During the trip," she said, "Jim went missing... for almost four weeks. We spent a lot of our time looking for him in the mountains. The other members of our team and I were surprised when he showed up at the end of our heartbreaking search. He was certainly weak and exhausted on his return."
"Jim," she noted, "was in the habit of losing himself. He would turn up when least expected. I have a funny feeling he was in one of his unpredictable moods when he ventured on his latest jaunt into the jungle."
In Malaysia, the outlook amongst some of his close friends was a lot dimmer. As the days passed, they began to doubt as to whether he was still alive. "One can go on walking," they noted, "without meeting another human being in the thick of the jungle." Based on this reasoning, they were resigned to the fact that his chances of being alive were indeed slim.
Excerpts from Chapter Eight, pages 25 & 26, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/10 16:15
Instalment No. 9 (b)
US$10,000 reward for the finder of Jim
In Bangkok, the Thai Silk Company took the news of his disappearance more seriously. The officials of the company were positive that something amiss could have happened to him while he was on leave at the hideaway. 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 Jim. The offer was made on Wednesday, March 29, that is, three days after he was declared as lost. This incentive was a close follow-up to the strong rumours in the Thai capital that he could have been kidnapped and taken to another country.
Excerpts from Chapter Eight, page 26, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/14 21:54
Instalment No. 9 (c)
Jim "seen" in the jungle
The day after the Thai Silk Company announced their reward, a young lady showed up at the company's premises and informed the staff that she knew something about Jim's predicament. Determined to give anything a try, they ushered her into a dimly lit room. A collection of candles and joss sticks were lit and placed under a white piece of cloth. While she was concentrating on her prayers, the anxious employees kept their focus on the fabric which was hung on the wall. They were confident that the 'screen' would somehow show them something about the situation that Jim was in. To their great disappointment, they saw nothing. But their guest swore she saw something. When asked what it was, she said she saw Jim being held captive by two gunmen. All three were in the jungle.
Excerpts from Chapter Eight, page 26, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/19 22:34
Instalment No. 9 (d)
Medium predicts Jim would return on his own
Over at Tanah Rata, a ton-kee (medium)... came up with a vastly different interpretation. Thong Weng, 29 a part-time house painter from Brinchang, proclaimed to two of his followers that Jim was "alive but possessed by evil spirits". Prior to his declaring this..., he reportedly went into a number of trances. His first was on Wednesday, March 29. After coming out of his trance, he predicted that Jim would return to the chateau "on his own". He also mentioned that this would take place "at about 9am the next day". But nothing of that sort came to pass. Not to be outdone, he spent the later part of the morning working himself into a double trance. He pleaded with the spirit world for a positive hint as to where Jim could be traced. In all, it took him more than an hour to come out of his spell.
After regaining his normal senses, he confidently declared that "Jim is still being possessed by evil spirits". He went on to say that Jim could be found "in a hole under a large tree which is not far from the bungalow." He said, "During their search, a few police parties did pass by this spot without noticing him. He tried to call out to them but, being weak, his calls went unheard."
Excerpts from Chapter Eight, page 27, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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Edward Roy De Souza
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Re:SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the - 2005/05/25 22:51
Instalment No. 9 (e)
The hunt for Jim continues
Whatever the mystic predicted, the police generally took no notice of it. Their attention was more focused on empirical evidence of the likely areas where Jim could be found. During their air and ground mission on March 29, the pilot of an RMAF helicopter enquired of the aboriginal settlers as to whether they had come into contact with the missing man. They informed him that they did not. Before leaving, the pilot left word with them to keep the police informed if they encountered Jim. He also reminded them not to harm him.
Excerpts from Chapter Eight, pages 27-28, SOLVED! The Mysterious Disappearance of Jim Thompson, the Legendary Thai Silk King (ISBN: 1-932205-89-6).
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