When Simon Karsten returned to Indonesia in 1992, he took the time to visit the Mangkunegaran Palace in Solo. He especially wanted to see one of the pavilions called Bale Pracimayasa. This was the pavilion designed by his father, Thomas Karsten, for one of the daughters of Sultan Mangkunegaran VII.

Thomas Karsten’s social network was indeed extensive. He was easily accepted by the Javanese aristocracy, such as the Kasunanan king Paku Buwana X