Elegance and mystery: Jim Thompson aboard the Blue Jasmine

This partnership came together naturally. Between the Blue Jasmine train, a new premium rail experience in Thailand, and Jim Thompson, the country’s leading silk house, the connection was immediately clear.

Jim Thompson Suite aboard the Blue Jasmine — detail © Discovery Trains

The idea emerged unexpectedly, as Stefan Bruns, General Manager of DTH Travel Thailand and operator of the train, explains: “One of our guests was visiting Jim Thompson’s boutiques and simply said, ‘You should do something together.’ We reached out to the Jim Thompson team, were warmly welcomed, and everything came together within a few weeks.”

The Jim Thompson Museum shop in Bangkok © Discovery Trains

Jim Thompson Silks Aboard the Blue Jasmine

From the very first visit on board, the coherence of this collaboration is immediately clear. The Blue Jasmine is not a luxury train in the classic sense and does not seek to compete with palace trains. Instead, thanks to Jim Thompson silks subtly woven into the décor, it reaches a new level of comfort and elegance. The before-and-after photos below speak for themselves.

For each departure, more than two thousand Jim Thompson silk pieces are carefully installed by the onboard staff to elevate this beautifully preserved vintage train: curtains, bed covers, cushions, silk wall panels, and table settings. These textiles are featured not only in the Jim Thompson Suite, created as a tribute to the brand, but also throughout all cabins and shared spaces. Additional thoughtful touches, such as toiletry kits and eye masks in the brand’s signature colors, further enhance the experience. The result is discreet, harmonious, and perfectly aligned with the spirit of the train.

The Premium Cabin Corridor © Discovery Trains

Originally, the Blue Jasmine is a Japanese-built train dating back to the 1960s. After a first railway life in Asia, it is now enjoying a second chapter in Thailand, thanks to DTH Travel. The founders of this tourism company are Swiss - coming from a country where train travel is part of everyday life, they bring a strong rail culture that helped turn the project into reality.

Their ambition with the Blue Jasmine is clear: to create a new rail itinerary focused on discovering Thailand, far from clichés and standardized routes. Launched in November 2025, the train now aims to establish itself in a highly competitive Thai tourism landscape by offering a clearly defined premium experience.

In this context, the partnership with Jim Thompson fits into a highly coherent and natural logic.

Jim Thompson and the Revival of Thai Silk

Originally, the Blue Jasmine is a Japanese-built train dating back to the 1960s. After a first railway life in Asia, it is now enjoying a second chapter in Thailand, thanks to DTH Travel. The founders of this tourism company are Swiss—coming from a country where train travel is part of everyday life, they bring a strong rail culture that helped turn the project into reality.

Their ambition with the Blue Jasmine is clear: to create a new rail itinerary focused on discovering Thailand, far from clichés and standardized routes. Launched in November 2025, the train now aims to establish itself in a highly competitive Thai tourism landscape by offering a clearly defined premium experience.

In this context, the partnership with Jim Thompson fits into a highly coherent and natural logic.

Jim Thompson selecting silks, photograph taken at his house museum © Discovery Trains

This story resonates strongly with the philosophy of the Blue Jasmine. While it is not a luxury train, it offers a high level of comfort and is designed to take travelers to both major landmarks and more discreet destinations, with a clear intention: to showcase the very best of Thailand. Much like the Jim Thompson house in its time, the Blue Jasmine project is built around highlighting authentic cultural riches, without distorting them.

This synergy unfolds throughout the journey. The program’s first dinner takes place at the Jim Thompson restaurant, located within the founder’s former home in Bangkok, now a museum. On board the train, beyond the textiles themselves, several books written by Jim Thompson and dedicated to Thai craftsmanship are available for guests to read during the journey. A small onboard boutique also allows travelers to watch a short film recounting the brand’s history and to purchase a selection of silk accessories.

Jim Thompson showroom onboard the train © Discovery Trains

Mystery, a shared legacy of great trains

While the connection between the Blue Jasmine and Jim Thompson is rooted above all in elegance and the celebration of Thailand’s cultural riches, a third, more discreet element deserves mention: mystery. Ever since Murder on the Orient Express, night trains have carried a particular atmosphere—one shaped by secrecy and intrigue, deeply embedded in the collective imagination.

The Jim Thompson brand, too, is marked by a lingering sense of mystery. In 1967, during a stay in the Cameron Highlands of Malaysia, its founder disappeared. Despite extensive searches, his body was never found. Accident, abduction, voluntary disappearance? The theories are many, yet none has ever been confirmed. This unresolved mystery has become an integral part of the brand’s history.

Last photograph of Jim Thompson before his disappearance, taken at his house museum © Discovery Trains

Today, when Blue Jasmine travelers gather in the train’s lounges and carriages, they are also journeying under the discreet gaze of this American who fell in love with Thailand and its silks. Never tipping into excess, Jim Thompson’s presence on board brings a rare cultural and historical depth to the experience.

A book by Jim Thompson available for reading in the panoramic car © Discovery Trains

Article written by Laure Jacquet,
 Laure Jacquet, Managing Director of Discovery Trains, a rail-travel specialist agency

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