A Thai court has sentenced a former Thai marine to life imprisonment for the murder of Lim Kimya, a former Cambodian opposition politician, who was killed in January 2025 in Bangkok. The defendant, 41-year-old Ekkalak Paenoi, was initially handed a death sentence for premeditated murder but had the sentence commuted after confessing to the crime.
Lim Kimya, aged 74, was shot dead in the old quarter of Bangkok on January 7, hours after arriving in the city from Cambodia with his wife and brother. Ekkalak, a motorcycle taxi driver, fired multiple shots at Lim Kimya in what appeared to be a targeted attack. Following the killing, Ekkalak fled to neighboring Cambodia, where he was arrested a day later and extradited back to Thailand for trial.
The court found Ekkalak guilty of murder, carrying a weapon, and discharging a firearm in public. His confession to the crime led to the reduction of his sentence to life imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay compensation of 1.79 million baht (approximately $55,162) to the victim’s family.
A second individual, who was allegedly involved in the murder by driving Ekkalak to the Cambodian border, was acquitted due to a lack of evidence showing his involvement in the crime. The case remains unresolved for two Cambodian nationals, Ly Ratanaksmey and Pich Kimsrin, who are believed to have fled Thailand after the murder. Arrest warrants have been issued for them, but they remain at large.
Lim Kimya was a member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, a major opposition group in Cambodia that was dissolved by the government in 2018. The party was accused of plotting treason, a charge it vehemently denied. Although Lim Kimya was not a high-profile figure, his killing adds to a growing number of political assassinations targeting opposition members, especially as Cambodia’s ruling party has faced increasing international criticism for its crackdown on political dissent.
The motive behind the killing remains unclear, but many speculate that the murder could be linked to the ongoing political unrest in Cambodia. Lim Kimya’s death is part of a broader pattern of political violence that has plagued opposition figures in the country, as many politicians and activists continue to face imprisonment or exile for their anti-government activities. The Thai court’s decision has sparked discussions about the persistence of such political violence in the region.
