A Thai court has sentenced gunman Ekkalak Paenoi to life in prison for the murder of Cambodian opposition politician and French national Lim Kimya in Bangkok.
The ruling, delivered on Friday, has sparked new calls to uncover who ordered the high-profile assassination.
Lim Kimya, a former Cambodian lawmaker, was gunned down on January 7, 2025, shortly after arriving in Thailand with his wife, Anne-Marie Lim.
The attack, carried out in broad daylight, shocked Cambodian opposition groups who quickly accused Cambodia’s former leader, Hun Sen, of being behind the plot.
Widow Demands “Full Justice”
During the three-day trial, Anne-Marie Lim testified as a key witness.
After the verdict, her lawyer, Nadhthasiri Bergman, said she welcomed the sentence but remained determined to know who gave the order.
“She is satisfied with today’s judgment, but she is still questioning who ordered the crime,” Bergman told reporters outside the Bangkok court.
“She wants authorities to get to the bottom of it.”
Rights activists in Cambodia echoed that demand. Am Sam Ath of Licadho said the life sentence offered only partial justice.
“Since Lim Kimya is also Cambodian, we want Thai authorities to investigate others linked to this killing,” he said.
Suspects Still at Large
Thai police earlier identified two Cambodian suspects believed to have played roles in the assassination.
Ly Ratanakrasksmey allegedly recruited the killer, while Pich Kimsrin reportedly acted as a lookout, boarding the same bus as the victim and his wife.
Both remain at large, and Cambodian opposition figures insist the case cannot be closed until the masterminds face trial.
Media reports revealed Ratanakrasksmey once served as an adviser to Hun Sen.
Cambodia’s ruling party later admitted he was dismissed from the role in March 2024. However, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, Hun Sen’s son, has denied any state involvement.
Background of the Victim
Lim Kimya was a member of the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) between 2013 and 2017.
After the party was banned by Cambodia’s Supreme Court, he withdrew from politics and returned to France with his family.
Opposition supporters say his killing is part of a wider pattern of political repression.
Western governments and rights groups have long accused Hun Sen’s regime of using violence and courts to silence dissent.
Verdict
The Bangkok court reduced Ekkalak’s sentence from death to life imprisonment after he confessed. A second defendant, Thai driver Chakrit Buakhil, was acquitted.
His lawyer argued he only provided transportation and was unaware of the crime.
Thai media reported the gunman was promised 60,000 baht ($1,800) for the murder, but police said he denied receiving payment, claiming he acted to “repay a debt of gratitude.”
For Anne-Marie Lim, the outcome leaves questions unanswered.
While the shooter will spend his life in prison, she insists the fight for “full justice” must continue until those who ordered her husband’s killing are exposed and prosecuted.
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