Two suspects at large as Thai court sentences hitman for Cambodian politician killing

[ad_1] BANGKOK — A Thai gunman was sentenced to life in jail on Friday for the killing of a Cambodian opposition politician in Bangkok, with the previous lawmaker’s widow left questioning who ordered the killing.

Lim Kimya, 74, a former legislator and member of the opposition Cambodia Nationwide Rescue Celebration (CNRP) in addition to an outspoken critic of veteran Cambodian chief Hun Sen, was shot useless by Aekaluck Paenoi, a former Thai Marine, in footage captured on closed circuit tv within the afternoon of Jan. 7 on a busy avenue in Bangkok.

Two Cambodian suspects stay wished by Thai authorities for his or her alleged involvement. Arrest warrants and Interpol “pink notices” had been issued in January.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="A funeral service for former Cambodian opposition lawmaker Lim Kimya is held at a Cambodian Buddhist pagoda near Paris, Jan. 16, 2025." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=800&height=533" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=768&height=511 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=1024&height=682 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/GXAY2WRFB5DF5OLFYJRAMFA4DA.jpg?auth=c0cf3ee93d4fa590f2d29ba24f458a29bd93db92a256712059f1a8addf64965e&width=1440&height=959 1440w" width="800" height="533"/> cambodia-thai-arrest-warrant-02 A funeral service for former Cambodian opposition lawmaker Lim Kimya is held at a Cambodian Buddhist pagoda close to Paris, Jan. 16, 2025. (RFA) Cambodian opposition figures have accused the nation’s highly effective former chief Hun Sen of ordering the capturing, and Lim Kimya’s widow known as this week for a full accounting of who was behind it.

Aekaluck confronted a possible dying sentence in Thailand for premeditated homicide, however a decide mentioned Friday that the Bangkok courtroom lowered his sentence to life imprisonment since he confessed. A person who supplied Aekaluck with transportation in the course of the escape was acquitted.

Video: Trial begins for shooter of Lim Kimya (RFA) Lim Kimya’s widow Anne-Marie Lim, often known as Lim Ani, who was known as as a witness on the trial opening on Tuesday, was not current on the verdict. The judges additionally dominated that the Aekaluck pay 1.7 million baht (US$52,452) compensation to Lim Kimya’s household.

“Anne-Marie might be happy with right this moment’s verdict, however she remains to be questioning who ordered the crime,” her lawyer Nadhthasiri Bergman informed reporters outdoors the courtroom on Friday. “She needs authorities to resolve it.”

Thai police in January recognized two Cambodian suspects they imagine to be concerned within the killing: Ly Ratanakrasksmey, accused of getting recruited the gunman, and Pich Kimsrin, the alleged lookout who native media has reported was on the bus alongside the sufferer and his spouse.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Pich Kimsrin, inset photo, is wanted as an accomplice in the killing of Lim Kimya and is believed to be pictured following Lim Kimya on a bus from Cambodia to Thailand." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=800&height=533" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=768&height=511 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=1024&height=682 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/PX62BX7MUBASNCZ4IZVWGLRJOY.jpg?auth=04b18ddfca2eee08763853a6327f9a5ccffdfe13222a761f711948bfe3370b50&width=1440&height=959 1440w" width="800" height="533"/> cambodia-pich-kimsrin-lim-kimya-thailand-01 Pich Kimsrin, inset photograph, is needed as an confederate within the killing of Lim Kimya and is believed to be pictured following Lim Kimya on a bus from Cambodia to Thailand. (Pich Kimsrin through Fb, inset, and Amarin TV) Days after the killing, following media experiences that Ratanakrasksmey was a former adviser to Hun Sen, Cambodia’s ruling social gathering launched an announcement saying he was dismissed from the function in March 2024.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, who's the eldest son of Hun Sen, and different authorities officers have denied any official involvement.

<img data-chromatic="ignore" alt="Lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman speaks to reporters outside the court in Bangkok, Oct. 3, 2025." class="c-image" loading="lazy" src="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=800&height=533" srcset="https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=274&height=182 274w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=400&height=266 400w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=768&height=511 768w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=1024&height=682 1024w, https://www.rfa.org/resizer/v2/2TXRNFHBI5D45PUZPSH4N3UJPM.JPG?auth=0c80c87a23dbc0d08458f43945feafd22c2f5b8af201226115dbd9610dedb7cb&width=1440&height=959 1440w" width="800" height="533"/> lim-kimya-cnrp-assassination Lawyer Nadthasiri Bergman speaks to reporters outdoors the courtroom in Bangkok, Oct. 3, 2025. (Pimuk Rakkanam/RFA) “I nonetheless additionally really feel that there's something the police may do in investigating and attempt to get the extra two those that (are) already recognized right into a justice course of,” Bergman informed reporters.

In February, Lim Ani informed RFA Khmer that her husband’s killing was “positively political.”

“He uncovered the injustices that occurred in Cambodia,” she mentioned.

Thai officers earlier this 12 months issued arrest warrants for 2 suspected Cambodian accomplices within the capturing. A Ministry of Inside spokesman informed RFA Khmer that the Cambodian structure doesn’t permit for the extradition of Cambodian nationals.

Am Sam Ath, operations director of Cambodian rights group Licadho, informed the AFP information company that the life sentence for the Thai gunman supplied partial justice for Lim Kimya, who was a twin French and Cambodian citizen.

“Since Lim Kimya can also be a Cambodian, we wish to see that Thai authorities and the Thai courtroom conduct additional investigations as a way to render full justice for him,” Am Sam Ath mentioned.