Bangkok: In a shocking assassination in Bangkok’s historic royal quarter, Lim Kimya, a 73-year-old former Cambodian parliamentarian, was shot down in broad daylight. The chilling act has raised questions about political motives and potential foreign involvement.
A Calculated Attack
Security footage shows the assassin parking a motorbike near a temple, calmly removing his helmet to reveal his face, and walking across the road. Moments later, gunshots rang out, and Lim Kimya collapsed with two bullets to his chest. The gunman fled the scene, leaving behind a trail of speculation.
Who Was Lim Kimya?
Lim Kimya was a member of the banned Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), the main opposition force against Cambodia’s long-time ruler Hun Sen. The CNRP came close to unseating Hun Sen in 2013, a near-defeat that triggered a crackdown on opposition voices. Despite dual Cambodian and French citizenship, Kimya chose to remain in Cambodia, even after his party’s dissolution and growing threats.
CNRP leader Kem Sokha, sentenced to 27 years of house arrest in 2023, has faced relentless suppression, and the party’s members have been targeted through legal and extrajudicial means.
A Chilling Parallel
This assassination recalls Cambodia’s dark history of political violence. In 2016, Kem Ley, a popular critic of Hun Sen, was similarly gunned down. Environmental activist Chut Wutty met the same fate in 2012.
Thai Connection R
Thai police revealed that the suspect is a former Thai navy officer currently employed as a motorbike taxi driver. While apprehending the suspect seems straightforward, the larger question looms: Will the investigation delve into potential political motives and cross-border implications?
International Outcry
Monovithya Kem, daughter of CNRP leader Kem Sokha, alleged state involvement in the assassination. “No one but the Cambodian state would have wanted to kill him,” she told the BBC, highlighting the possible hand of Hun Sen’s regime, even under the leadership of his son, Hun Manet, who assumed power in 2023.
A Call for Justice
The murder of Lim Kimya underscores the persistent dangers faced by opposition figures in Cambodia and abroad. The international community must press for a thorough investigation into this heinous act and hold those responsible accountable, regardless of borders.
This incident is a stark reminder of the high stakes in regional politics, where dissent often comes at a deadly cost.
