Word: suramarit
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Shifting Crown. The new Sihanouk role was that of kingmaker. In a ceremony of dazzling Oriental splendor last week he crowned his own father King of Cambodia. Long Sihanouk's close adviser, elderly (60), diabetic Suramarit and his statuesque wife Kossaman are members of the Khmer dynasty which goes back before recorded history, but neither was in the direct line of royal descent in 1941 when the French bent the legitimacy to make young Sihanouk King. Sihanouk, who deeply respects his parents, saw that the coronation got the full Oriental treatment, with dragon dancers, marching mandarins, hundreds of warriors...
Sihanouk himself performed the ceremony, placing the golden crown on his father's head, while 62 Buddhist monks in bright saffron robes chanted ancient prayers, and a high priest placed a fig leaf behind Suramarit's ear, symbol of long life and wisdom. A few minutes earlier Sihanouk had himself made Premier again, and delivered a little speech accusing the U.S. of wishing to take over and enlarge the Cambodian army. Said a Frenchman, amused by the U.S. predicament, "When he was King, we used to say le Roi est fou [the King is mad]." Last week...
...clad Cambodian Smiths and Mrs. Smiths thronged into the city to participate in a national congress to suggest constitutional amendment and nominate a Premier. All an adult citizen needed to do to be a "congressman" was to present a coconut, a grapefruit, or some similar token, to King Norodom Suramarit, Sihanouk's father. Some 30,000 availed themselves of the opportunity...
...Much Fruit. At the royal palace, his fingertips pressed together in the customary seraphic greeting, Sihanouk played benign host, introducing the visitors to his royal parents and apologizing for not feeding them all: "You are so many, I would be broke." From his gilded, red velvet throne, King Suramarit received his gifts with regal gratitude: "Oh, the beautiful fruit." Concurred his son: "It's really too much, too much...
...Cambodia's impetuous young King Norodom Sihanouk entreated his subjects in a surprise broadcast last March, "permit me to leave my gilded cage." With that, he turned over the monarchy's six-tiered parasol to his father, Suramarit. After 14 years on the throne, 32-year-old Sihanouk was convinced that, "If I ever lose this King job, maybe I can go to Hollywood. They like Oriental characters over there, don't they? Maybe I could be a Cambodian Charlie Chan...