COCONUTS HOT SPOT – If you’re hunting for a quiet place to get things done, head in the direction of the Jim Thompson House but before you actually reach it, turn left into a gravel parking lot adjoining the entrance. If a uniformed guard tries to stop you, tell him that you’re visiting the library.
Located on the top floor of the Henry B. Thompson Building, the William Warren Library offers a quiet retreat for travelers within the Siam and National Stadium areas. You’ll hear the industrial air-conditioner, whose droning keeps the space comfortably cool, and the intermittent squawking of birds that have taken up residence in the building, but you won’t be subjected to the cacophony of Bangkok traffic, or the saccharine bossa nova covers played in most Bangkok cafés.
Several sturdy tables run the length of the lofted space, and a sofa and two cushioned armchairs occupy its far end. The Wi-Fi is free, and there are several electrical outlets and power strips to keep your devices running. The bookshelves hold art books in English and Thai, and some literature related to Jim Thompson’s life and mysterious disappearance into the Malaysian highlands in 1967. Though not required, annual membership runs a very reasonable THB500, and allows you to rent up to three books or DVDs at a time.
Be aware that the only refreshment served here is water, and it comes free from a cooler just outside the entrance. You’ll have to drink it there, as standard library rules (food and drinks prohibited) apply.
If you find yourself needing to disappear (temporarily) from the crowds, there are few quieter or cheaper places to do so than at the William Warren Library.
FIND IT:
William Warren Library
Henry B. Thompson Building (4th floor)
Soi Kasemsan 2
(Take Exit 1 from National Stadium BTS)
Hours: Tuesday – Saturday, 9am – 5pm
02-612-6741
library@jimthompsonhouse.com
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Photo: James Yu
