Phnom Penh officials, Tourism Ministry take heat for ignoring King

Palace chastises City Hall

AROYAL adviser yesterday lashed out at City Hall and the Tourism Ministry for failing to display King Norodom Sihamoni’s picture on large billboards across the capital during the three-day Khmer New Year celebrations that ended on Sunday, calling the omission a devaluing of the throne.

In one-on-one meetings with media outlets, Oum Daravuth, the King’s personal adviser, said it was disappointing that the King’s portrait was not prominently displayed in public places and outside popular ho- tels in Phnom Penh during last week’s national celebrations, pointing the finger squarely at Phnom Penh City Hall and the Ministry of Tourism.

“It is the mistake of Phnom Penh Municipal Hall that is careless and the Ministry of Tourism that forgot its own obligation,” he said.

Daravuth went on to say that he wasn’t asking for an overthe-top display of the King’s portrait, just that they be placed at important locations, such as Wat Phnom and Independence Monument.

He took particular umbrage with hotels that displayed Santa Claus during Christmas but didn’t decorate or light up portraits of King Sihamoni, late King Father Norodom Sihanouk and Queen Mother Norodom Monineath.

However, Daravuth could not say whether the practice had been followed in the past,

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