LOCAL police said they apprehended a Thai man suspected of gunning down a former opposition politician in a popular Bangkok tourist area.
Lim Kimya, an ex-lawmaker from the dissolved Cambodia National Rescue Party, was shot dead near a temple close to Khaosan Road on Tuesday evening. He had reportedly just arrived at the scene with his wife by bus from Cambodia, said Human Rights Watch.
In a statement released to the media, the Cambodian National Police said the suspected gunman, identified as Ekkalak Pheanoi, fled to Cambodia shortly after he shot the victim and was detained Wednesday in Battambong, which borders Thailand. It said he will be deported back to Thailand.
Siam Boonsom, chief of Bangkok police, told reporters earlier Wednesday that the initial investigation led them to believe the gunman was hired to carry out the shooting. Siam said the suspect had a criminal record related to financial matters.
Security camera footage of the incident circulated in Thai media showed the gunman arriving at the scene on a motorbike. Three gunshots were heard before the man walked away from the victim as he collapsed to the ground. The suspect then rode away.
The Cambodia National Rescue Party had been expected to present a strong challenge to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party of ex-Prime Minister Hun Sen in the 2018 general election. But as part of a sweeping crackdown on opposition before the poll, the high court dissolved the party, and the ruling party subsequently won every seat in the National Assembly. — AP
