BANGKOK — The Thai Criminal Court heard testimony today from the French wife of Lim Kimya, a former Cambodian opposition party member who was gunned down in Bangkok’s historic district. His wife confirmed that her husband had no known conflicts with anyone prior to his assassination, while revealing that a spotter was seen on a public bus during the incident.
At Criminal Court Room 811 on Ratchadaphisek Road, the judge presided over evidence examination where Lim’s French wife provided her testimony on January 10. She stated that her husband worked as a financial engineer and was a member of Cambodia’s opposition party. She emphasized that he had never been involved in any conflicts or disputes.
According to her testimony, she traveled to Thailand with Lim and her brother-in-law on January 7, following a four-day vacation in Hong Kong. The group had entered Thailand through the Poipet border crossing after visiting Cambodia.
The incident occurred near Wat Bowonniwet temple during heavy traffic around 5:30-5:45 PM. As they were unloading their luggage from the bus to cross the street, she heard what sounded like two firecrackers. Upon turning around, she saw a tall man in a t-shirt facing her direction. Initially dismissing him as a passerby, she only realized something was wrong when her brother-in-law shouted that Lim had been shot.
She recounted that while her husband didn’t die immediately, he was unconscious after being shot twice in the back. Despite her attempts at CPR, he was bleeding heavily. She sought help from nearby pedestrians, but no one responded until police and medical personnel arrived. By then, she could no longer detect his pulse.
Later at Chana Songkhram Police Station, she positively identified Ekkalak Phaenoi (Sergeant M), age 41, as the shooter from photographs shown to her. Her brother-in-law also reported seeing Pich Kimrin, a 24-year-old Cambodian national who is now wanted by police, on the public bus acting as a spotter.
Police Colonel Sanong Saengmanee, superintendent of Chana Songkhram Police Station, revealed that investigators have questioned Sergeant M’s sister and brother-in-law regarding their involvement in receiving the murder weapon after the incident. Both provided useful information, though no charges have been filed against them yet.
Sergeant M, a former naval officer, was arrested in Battambang Province on January 8, one day after fleeing Thailand through a natural border crossing in Sa Kaeo Province. Bangkok Metropolitan Police indicated that his extradition could take within two weeks, as he must first face illegal entry charges in Cambodia.
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