Quid pro quo brotherhood

112 Watch has a piece on the “dark brotherhood” that defines what author Prem Singh Gill calls “Murder Without Borders” involving Cambodia and Thailand. The article “discusses the assassination of a former political from Cambodia, Lim Kimya, in Bangkok, and argues that the Thai-Cambodian bilateral ties could have fostered the act of transnational repression.”

Clipped from 112 Watch

We thank a reader for drawing our attention to this piece, as it links with our earlier post on the political assassination. We are doubly thankful because the unbelievably fast capture of the alleged assassin was done with some fanfare, but then everything went silent. Of course, that is not unusual in such cases, where the person arrested often becomes a convenient, sometimes paid, scapegoat.

Prem Singh Gill’s article is worth reading in full. We were struck by this:

The relationship between former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and former Cambodian leader Hun Sen, coupled with the institutional support of Thailand’s royal establishment, has created an unprecedented concentration of power. This alliance between the Shinawatra family’s political machinery and the royal institutions under Rama X demonstrates a dangerous convergence of interests that mirrors classic dictatorial systems. The timing of Lim Kimya’s assassination, occurring during the administration of Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s daughter, suggests a continuation of authoritarian practises under the guise of democratic governance.

These relationships have fostered a system where political power transcends national boundaries, creating unofficial channels for coordination that operate parallel to formal diplomatic relations. The institutional support from Thailand’s royal establishment has added another layer of complexity to this relationship, creating a powerful alliance that combines traditional authority with modern political machinery.

Yet it was a military-backed regime that was in power in Thailand back in June 2020 when Wanchalearm Satsaksit was “disappeared.” His disappearance – he is presumed murdered – was a part of a pattern of anti-monarchists who were “disappeared” and murdered in neighboring countries.

Wanchalearm was living in exile in Cambodia when he was abducted.

The return to Cambodia of political dissidents – who go straight to prison – and the murder of Lim Kimya begin to look very much like the Thai authorities repaying a “blood debt” to Cambodia.