Lim Kimya

Lim Kimya
លឹម គិមយ៉ា
Member of Parliament of Cambodia
In office
2013–2018
Personal details
Born1951 or 1952
Died (aged 73)
near Wat Bowonniwet Vihara, Bangkok, Thailand
PartyCambodia National Rescue (2012–2017)

Lim Kimya (Khmer: លឹម គិមយ៉ា; 1951 or 1952 – 7 January 2025) was a Cambodian and French politician. Lim, a member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was first elected as a member of parliament in 2013 and served until 2018.

Killing

On 7 January 2025, Lim was killed in Bangkok in a shooting near Wat Bowonniwet Vihara. Both colleagues and Phil Robertson, director of Asia Human Rights Labour Advocates, described the shooting as an assassination. Lim had recently arrived in Bangkok by bus from Siem Reap, Cambodia, with his wife and uncle. The gunman was on a motorcycle.

On 8 January 2025, the Thai Criminal Court issued a warrant for Ekaluck Paenoi, the suspected killer. After a daylong manhunt led by the Metropolitan Police Bureau, a suspect was arrested in Battambang province in Cambodia by local police. The suspect is a 41-year-old Thai national who worked as a motorcycle taxi driver and is a former marine.

On 9 January 2025, the Thai Criminal Court issued an additional warrant for Pich Kimsrin, a Cambodian national, alleging his involvement in Lim's killing. The Metropolitan Police Bureau stated that he had entered Thailand on the same minibus as Lim and had subsequently left the country following the attack.

On 15 January 2025, the Thai Criminal Court issued another arrest warrant for Somwang Bamrungkit, a Thai and Cambodian dual national known in Cambodia as Ly Rotanakraksmey. Somwang is an advisor to Cambodia's former Prime Minister Hun Sen.

References

  1. 1 2 "Former Cambodian opposition MP shot dead in Bangkok: Thai media". France 24. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  2. ↑ Adair, Stephanie (7 January 2025). "Gunman shoots dead former Cambodian Opposition MP in Bangkok". The Nation. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  3. 1 2 Beech, Hannah (8 January 2025). "Former Cambodian Opposition Member Lim Kimya Killed in Bangkok". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Former Cambodian MP shot dead in Bangkok". Bangkok Post. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  5. ↑ "Former Cambodian opposition MP shot dead in Bangkok 'assassination'". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  6. ↑ "Former Cambodian opposition politician shot dead in Bangkok – reports". The Guardian. 8 January 2025. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  7. 1 2 "Cambodian police detain a Thai man suspected of gunning down Cambodian ex-lawmaker in Bangkok". AP News. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  8. ↑ "Cambodian-French Political Activist Shot Dead in Bangkok". Khaosod English. 7 January 2025. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
  9. 1 2 Thepgumpanat, Panarat; Wongcha-um, Panu (8 January 2025). "Suspected killer of former Cambodia lawmaker arrested, Thai police say". Reuters. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  10. ↑ "Suspected killer of former Cambodian MP arrested". Bangkok Post. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
  11. ↑ "Court issues warrant for 'spotter' in Cambodian politician's murder". The Nation. 9 January 2025. Archived from the original on 11 January 2025. Retrieved 11 January 2025.
  12. 1 2 Wee, Sui-Lee (15 January 2025). "Adviser to Cambodian Leader Is Wanted in Thailand Over Dissident's Killing". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 17 January 2025.