Thai police arrest gunman for Cambodian-French politician murder
Thai police last night arrested the gunman responsible for the assassination of a former Cambodian-French opposition Member of Parliament in Cambodia‘s Phra Tabon Province. Another suspect, a Cambodian, who is believed to have stalked the victim from Cambodia to Bangkok, remains at large.
The 73 year old Cambodian-French politician, Lim Kimya, arrived in Bangkok by a coach bus from Cambodia shortly before the Thai gunman, Ekkaluck “Em” Paenoi, fatally shot him on a traffic island near the Bowonniwet Vihara Temple.
Ekkaluck, a former soldier in the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC), was captured on CCTV fleeing the scene on a red Honda Wave 100i motorcycle. He had been dismissed from the RTMC in 2023 after failing to report for duty for 15 days without a valid reason.
In addition to identifying the gunman, Thai officers also identified another suspect linked to the assassination. This suspect, a Cambodian man named Kimslin Pit, reportedly stalked Lim, along with his French wife and Cambodian uncle, after they boarded the coach in Cambodia.
According to Thai PBS, Kimslin was seen on CCTV wearing a white T-shirt, cap, and backpack at the shooting scene. He later travelled back to Cambodia on a Sky Angkor Airlines flight at approximately 9.05pm on the day of the incident.
As Lim was an outspoken critic of the Cambodian government, his assassination is suspected to be politically motivated. The Guardian reported that Pen Bona, a spokesperson for the Cambodian government, denied any involvement in a press conference yesterday, January 8.
“Cambodia is responsible only for what happens on its territory, not for what happens in other countries. Whatever happens on Thai territory is the responsibility of the Thai government.”
Thai police tracked Ekkaluck to Cambodia, where he was eventually arrested in Phra Tabon Province. However, another suspect, Cambodian Kimslin, remains at large.
At present, Thai authorities are in the process of transferring Ekkaluck from Cambodia to Thailand for further questioning.
ORIGINAL STORY: Cambodian-French ex-MP assassinated in Bangkok, Thai gunman at large
A former Cambodian-French opposition Member of Parliament was assassinated in Bangkok yesterday, January 7. The gunman, identified as a former soldier in the Royal Thai Marine Corps (RTMC), remains at large.
Officers from Chana Songkhram Police Station were alerted to a shooting on a traffic island opposite the popular tourist attraction Bowonniwet Vihara Temple in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district at around 6pm.
Upon arrival, officers found the prostrate 73 year old Cambodian-Frenchman, Lim Kimya with two gunshot wounds to his chest and right shoulder. Rescue workers attempted to administer CPR at the scene but were unable to save him.
CCTV footage revealed that the gunman parked his motorcycle, dismounted, and shot Lim twice before fleeing the scene on his motorbike. The suspect was wearing a grey T-shirt, jeans, and a motorcycle helmet. His vehicle was reported to be a red Honda Wave 100i with the registration plate 845.
Lim reportedly arrived in Bangkok by bus from Siem Reap, Cambodia, with his French wife and Cambodian uncle shortly before the attack.
Lim was a prominent member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), which opposed Hun Sen, a former army general and current President of the Senate.
The CNRP was dissolved after opposing the government, and over 100 of its members were banned from holding political positions for five years. Many members went into exile, while others, including Lim, chose to remain in Cambodia quietly for safety reasons.
Despite holding French nationality and being able to travel to France for safety, Lim opted to stay. He vowed in an interview with AFP that he would never abandon his political journey.
Lim’s wife was taken to the police station for questioning. The motive for the assassination remains under investigation. However, police have identified the gunman as a Thai man named Ekkaluck Paenoi, a former RTMC officer.
Ekkaluck faces charges of premeditated murder and carrying a weapon in public without permission. If convicted, he could face a life sentence.
Ekkaluck is still at large, and the statute of limitations for this case is 20 years.
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