The Story of The King and I Opening Act The King and I Thai Restaurant was founded by Bob and his wife, Marie Phoungphol. After immigrating from Thailand in the early seventies to both earn their Master Degrees, the Phoungphols worked in a number of restaurants to learn the skills they would need to operate a successful establishment of their own. In the late 1980s, Bob and Marie decided they it was time to open the doors of their family's restaurant. To create their vision, Bob and Marie turned to traditional Thai cooking they had learned from their mothers. Bob often recalled: "I would help Khun Maa [Mom] select produce from the markets, prep the items and watch as my mother created the food I loved. My mother is truly an inspiration" Original location on north 2nd street In the summer of 1988 Bob and Marie established downtown Milwaukee's only Thai restaurant knowing that authentic ethnic restaurants were a rarity. Bob and Marie also knew it was a big gamble. "No one really knew about Thai food at the time, it was a new frontier, especially here in the Midwest," Marie confesses. The King and I opened to rave reviews, and was awarded 3 and 1/2 stars (out of 4) by the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel. To this day, The King and I has consistently dominated local media awards in categories such as Best Thai, Best Lunch Buffet, and Reader's Choice, (undoubtedly thanks to loyal customers!). 'Best of'' awards granted by the Journal-Sentinel, Milwaukee Magazine, Shepherd Express, Citysearch, AOL Cityguide, and Onmilwaukee.com are proudly displayed in the award room. Chef Watana Panyasopa (Left) and Assistant 'Ba Pang' (right) The King and I Movie Musical The Real, Great King Mongkut (Rama IV)   About Our Name The King and I was named after the famous musical by genre giants Rodgers and Hammerstein about the court of the great Thai King Mongkut (Rama IV of the Chakri Dynasty) and a school teacher, Anna Leonowens. Although the musical is somewhat of a sore subject for most Thais (due to its irreverent portrayal of the King, who in Thai culture is viewed with deity-like regard), the Phoungphols chose 'The King and I' because they believed those Milwaukeeans unfamiliar with Thai culture would certainly identify with the popular musical. History would prove this a wise decision. About the Kingdom of Thailand Thailand is a small Constitutional monarchy spanning 513k square miles, and consisting of 66 million primarily Buddhist people. It is located in the center of the Indochina peninsula of southeast Asia. Thailand (by many various names) has existed since 1238 A.D. Although at the time of this writing, the government is currently in a reorganizing transition, the Thai people, regardless of ethnicity and religion, highly revere their King, Bhumibhol Adulyadej (Rama IX of Chakri). The King's role as 'father' of the people has fostered Thailand's ideals of democracy, egalitarianism, and technological advance which has contributed greatly to Thailand's economic prosperity and relatively peaceful existence. His Royal Highness, The Most Revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej The Grand Palace in Bangkok, Thailand Thailand is not only known throughout the world as a source of great craft such as elegantly carved wood and spun silk, but also of exotic fruits and of course, spicy food. The Thai people are known for their pleasant demeanor and sense of humor, as well as humility and politeness. Thailand has been a staunch ally of the United States since liberated from Japanese occupation during World War II. The alliance certainly paid dividends during the Vietnam war, where Thailand hosted American forces, and introducing many GIs to Thai culture and food. Favorite tourist destinations include Bangkok (Grun Thiep), Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and the tropical paradise of Phuket (poo-KET) The time in Bangkok is exactly 12 hours ahead of US Central time.