BANGKOK – Thai authorities have issued an arrest warrant for a suspect in the fatal shooting of a former Cambodian opposition lawmaker in Bangkok. Lim Kimya, a former member of the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, was shot Tuesday evening near a temple near Khaosan Road. Initial investigations suggest a possible contract killing, with police pursuing another individual who may have facilitated the crime.
The shooting occurred near Khaosan Road, a popular tourist area. Eyewitness accounts, including security camera footage, show the suspect arriving on a motorbike, firing three shots at close range, and then fleeing. Police have described the suspect as a person with a prior criminal record.
"The initial investigation points to a hired assassin," stated a Bangkok Police Department official, who declined to provide further details due to the ongoing investigation. The official confirmed that the victim was identified to the suspect by another party being investigated.
Kimya's death is being viewed by human rights organizations as a politically motivated act. His recent Facebook posts included criticisms of the Cambodian government's spending. The incident raises concerns about the safety of political opponents in Bangkok.
The Cambodia National Rescue Party condemned the assassination as a brutal act, calling for a thorough investigation and justice for the victim. The party, a significant challenger to the ruling Cambodian People's Party in the 2018 election, was dissolved by the Cambodian courts prior to that vote.
The shooting follows recent calls from Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, now Senate president, to label dissent as terrorism. These actions, alongside past instances of political repression, fuel international criticism regarding the Cambodian government's handling of political opposition.
The Cambodian government insists on the rule of law and democratic processes but has a history of suppressing critics. This latest incident further underscores these concerns, drawing attention to transnational repression within Thailand's borders.
