January 21, 2025
Phnom Penh – Prime Minister Hun Mane has strongly denied government involvement in the assassination of former opposition lawmaker Lim Kimya, who was shot dead by a Thai gunman in Bangkok on January 7.
He stressed that if the government had orchestrated the murder, they would not have arrested the suspect and handed him over to Thai authorities.
On the morning of January 20, Manet spoke at the inauguration ceremony of a development project in Bun Rany Senchey Village, Kravan District, Phnom Penh, Pursat Province. He responded to accusations from overseas critics that his father, Senate President Hun Sen or the government were responsible for the The man behind the project.
“In addition to the Koh Kood accusations, critics are now accusing us of being behind Ling Kya's murder. They blame Samdech Techo [Hun Sen]our families, or orchestrated by the government. I asked: Is the government so stupid? If the government was involved, why did we arrest the murderer and send him to Thailand to assist in the investigation? Manet asked.
Lim Kimya, 74, a former member of parliament for the now-defunct Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), was shot dead by Thai national Ekkalak Phaenoi in Bangkok, Thailand. After the attack, Ekara fled to Cambodia, but was captured by authorities in Battambang and handed over to Thai authorities.
Two Cambodian citizens, Pich Kimsrin (allegedly acting as an “observer” for the killer) and Ly Ratanakraksmey (allegedly the mastermind), are also suspects in the case and are subject to Thai arrest warrants.
Manet explained that after the assassination, foreign critics and opposition figures prematurely concluded that Hun Sen ordered the killings, which he called baseless and unfair accusations. He reiterated the government's condemnation of the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the victims.
“If the government is behind this and the gunman fled to Cambodia after committing the crime in Thailand, doesn't the government have the ability to hide him? We have all the means to do this,” he said.
“But why did we immediately arrest him as soon as he entered Cambodia and hand him over to the Thai authorities at their request? Because we also want to know the full truth behind this incident because these accusations are unjust,” he added.
Manet also pointed out that overseas critics continued to criticize the Thai authorities, whose investigation seemed to have concluded that the assassination was rooted in personal vendetta and had nothing to do with politics. He dismissed the accusations from the opposition and analysts as an attempt to exploit the incident for political gain.
He concluded that the handover of the suspects to Thai authorities underscored the Cambodian government's commitment to transparency and integrity in this matter. Manet added that Cambodia is also trying to uncover the real motives behind the assassination.
