Killing of Cambodian politician stemmed from personal conflict: National police chief

Police Commissioner-General Pol Gen Kitrat Phanphet said today that the assassination of former Cambodian MP Lim Kimya in Bangkok on January 7th was not politically motivated but likely stemmed from a personal conflict.

He did not, however, elaborate on how the police came to this conclusion, which seems defy widespread speculation that the contract killing stemmed from political conflict in Cambodia.

The Criminal Court has already issued an arrest warrant for the alleged mastermind, Somwang Bamrungkit, who allegedly contracted Ekaluck Paenoi to kill Lim Kimya in Bangkok for 60,000 baht.

According to police findings, Somwang has entered and exited Thailand from Cambodian over 100 times in the past two years. His latest entry was on January 6, and he returned to Cambodia on January 8. During his time in Thailand, he stayed in the Bang Lamung district of Chon Buri.

Pol Gen Kitrat disclosed that Somwang wired a total of 60,000 baht into the bank account of Ekaluck before and after the fatal shooting of Lim Kimya in front of Bowonniwet Temple in Bangkok.

During questioning, Ekaluck claimed that he has known Somwang for about two years, adding that the Cambodian had provided him with financial support during that period.

Pol Gen Kitrat also said that police are looking for the driver who drove Ekaluck from Bangkok to the Cambodian border, from where Ekaluck slipped into Cambodia and travelled to Battambang, where he was arrested by Cambodian police.