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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 and bureaucrats in fancy uniforms and a dozen official elephants.
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 the ex-King announced that his next ambition is to represent Cambodia at the United Nations in New York.
* Cambodia has been getting approximately $50 million a year in U.S. aid, including roads, port facilities, irrigation projects, medical assistance and the entire upkeep of the Cambodian army. At Sihanouk's own request, some 5% of U.S. aid has been spent on other imports, including Cabinet ministers' Chevrolets.