Public watch coronation, file of king as ballet dancer

(29 Oct 2004)
1. Group of people watching the ceremony on television
2. Close of woman's face
3. Cambodia King Norodom Sihamoni on television screen praying
4. Various of crowd watching television screen
5. Royal palace
6. Buddhist hits bell with a hammer
++ Nighttime Shot++
7. Royal palace with fireworks in the background
File - Date and location unknown
8. Various of Young Prince Norodom Sihamoni practicing ballet
STORYLINE:
Crowds gathered around televisions in Phonm Penh on Friday as Norodom Sihamoni was crowned Cambodia's first new king in nearly half a century.
The ornate ceremonies formally ended the reign of one of Asia's longest-serving and best-known rulers.
Sihamoni's ascension came two weeks after he was selected by a panel of political and religious leaders to succeed his father, Norodom Sihanouk, who abdicated three weeks ago, citing ill health.
Sihamoni, who was little known even in his own country until a few weeks ago, swore to "abide by the constitution and laws of the kingdom and committed to serve the interests of the state and the people."
Fifty-two Buddhist monks - one for each year of the king's life according to the traditional Cambodian zodiac - then chanted blessings for about 40
minutes. By the Western calendar, he is 51 years old.
Friday's ceremonies were the centrepiece of three days of festivities marking the coronation, much of which was broadcast live on Cambodian
television.
Sihamoni has no political experience and is better known as a ballet dancer and an envoy to the United Nations cultural agency.
He has spent most of the past two decades living outside his homeland, mostly in Paris.
Buddhist monks went to temples across the country on Friday night to offer prayers for the new king and to beat drums and gongs to salute him.
Cambodia's king is seldom involved in day-to-day politics, but the position carries huge cultural significance for the Cambodian, or Khmer,
people, and the king has some influence on national affairs.
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[@aggregat]

After some research I think that video excerpt of dancing young Sihamoni is from Czech documentary movie "The Other Little Prince" by Vladimír Sís from 1967.

[@aggregat]

I think that ballet sequence was taken in Prague during his studies in ca. 1968

[@รัชนันท์แก่อินทร์]

ท่านน่ารักตั้งแต่สมัยเด็กๆ

[@invinoveritas6859]

Sihanouk's gentle son.Can his ballet dancing skill save Cambodia though ? That is the question.......

[@user-md9pl9ly9j]

Back then when he had hair...

[@invinoveritas6859]

Sihamoni.The Siha part must be Siha-nouk,the Moni part must be Moni-nique.Siha + Moni = Sihamoni.....;))))

[@susanticia5772]

ITS true

[@HydnBB2]

Never thought about that! Very good!

[@invinoveritas6859]

@@HydnBB2 I never about that either until one day......;)))))