UPDATE: Ekkalak Pheanoi, the suspect in the shooting death of former Cambodian MP Lim Kimya in Bangkok, has been arrested in Battambang province, Cambodia, following a request from Thai authorities, the General Commissariat of National Police said. Ekkalak fled Bangkok after the Jan. 7 shooting and crossed into Cambodia’s border province, officials said.
The suspect has been transferred to Battambang police for further procedures and will be extradited to Thailand after Cambodian legal formalities, the official statement read.
Former MP Lim Kimya, a dual French-Cambodian citizen from the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was shot dead in Bangkok on Tuesday. Thai authorities have since identified the suspected gunman as a former marine.
Opposition leaders and human rights defenders have condemned the killing, calling for a thorough investigation, with the CNRP labeling it an assassination and a threat to political freedom. Meanwhile, Cambodian authorities said they would assist in the investigation only if requested by Thailand.
Kimya, 74, died at the scene after being attacked soon after arriving in the Thai capital on a bus from Siem Reap with his wife and uncle.
Surveillance footage from the scene showed a gunman on a motorcycle, wearing a helmet and carrying a bag believed to be concealing a weapon.
Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant for Ekkarat Paenoi, a former Thai marine accused of premeditated murder, illegal possession of firearms, and the discharge of explosive ammunition in urban areas.
Kimya was elected as an opposition member of Cambodia’s parliament in 2013 in which the ruling party under former premier Hun Sen nearly lost to its then rival, the CNRP.
The CNRP, which was founded in 2012 by opposition leaders Sam Rainsy and Kem Sokha and once considered the most viable opponent to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) was dissolved by court order in 2017.
The party still remains active as an organization in Cambodian diaspora communities.
Many opposition politicians, including Kimya, were barred from political activities after the party’s dissolution, prompting many to flee into exile amid a wave of arrests, including a 27-year sentence given to party co-founder Kem Sokha.
Despite his French citizenship, Kimya did not join the dozens of lawmakers who fled abroad.
Up until his death, Kimya had been an outspoken critic of the Cambodian government, frequently using his Facebook to report human rights abuses and the intimidation of activists.
His murder has sparked urgent calls from human rights advocates and opposition parties for a thorough investigation, demanding swift action from Thai authorities. They warn that failure to properly investigate and prosecute would send a dangerous message to Cambodian activists in exile.
“We are deeply shocked by the tragic death of Lim Kimya,” said Ly Sothearayuth, Secretary-General of the Candlelight Party, another CPP-rival who was disqualified from running in the 2023 election. “We strongly condemn the perpetrators of this murder and urge the Thai government and relevant authorities to find and arrest the perpetrators and the group of people involved.”
“The CNRP strongly condemns this barbaric act, which is a serious threat to political freedom”, the party’s statement said.
Phil Robertson, director of the Asia Human Rights and Labour Advocates (AHRLA) said that this brazen shooting of a former CNRP MP has all the hallmarks of a political assassination. He added that the murder will deeply intimidate the hundreds of Cambodian opposition figures, NGO activists, and human rights defenders who fled to Thailand to escape political repression.
Many Cambodian activists who sought refuge in Thailand have been arrested and deported back to Cambodia, part of a regional trend where Southeast Asian governments collaborate to target, detain, and deport each other’s dissidents, according to some rights groups.
“The French government must aggressively pursue justice for their citizen, Lim Kimya, and leave no stone unturned in pressing the Thai government to effectively and thoroughly investigate this assassination, no matter where the path leads,” Robertson said in a post on social media.
The French Embassy in Phnom Penh said in an email to CamboJA News that it is closely coordinating with the French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs and the embassy in Thailand but declined to comment further on the government’s response.
As international condemnation of Kimya’s murder grows, CPP spokesperson Sok Eysan dismissed claims of Cambodian government involvement as “incorrect and without clear evidence,” attributing the accusations to “outlawed rebel leader Sam Rainsy.”
Eysan claimed Kimya’s murder was a matter of “coincidence” and said the case falls entirely under Thai jurisdiction. He added that Cambodia will not get involved unless requested by Thai authorities.
The fatal shooting also occurred the same day former Prime Minister and current Senate President Hun Sen, who handed power to his son Hun Manet after the 2023 election, called for a law to label anyone attempting to topple Manet’s government as “terrorists.”
As of the afternoon of Jan. 8, the gunman remained at large.
“If the perpetrator isn’t found, it will spark accusations against both the Thai and Cambodian governments,” said Ny Sokha, president of the NGO rights group Adhoc.
The Cambodia Embassy in Bangkok did not respond to requests for comment.
Note: This story was updated at 8:45 p.m on January 8, 2025, after Cambodia National Police issued a statement about the arrest of a Thai suspect.
