On May 14, 2010 during the political disturbance between Red Shirts and army personnel in Bangkok, Thailand, Kim was shot three times while walking to a 7-Eleven to pay his family's bills. He was rushed to Kluay Nam Thai Hospital for life-saving surgery. The most dangerous bullet entered close to his spinal cord and penetrated his lung; it was removed during surgery, but the damage it caused resulted in breathing problems, paralysis, and other severe health issues. The second bullet had not penetrated very deeply and was easier to remove. However, due to the large amount of blood Kim had lost, the doctor considered further surgery too risky: the third bullet had to remain in his body. On October 20, 2011, more than 17 months after the shooting, Kim needed surgery again. At this point he frequently had cramps in his body, along with severe pain in the shoulder and neck area. As the muscles in his back had atrophied drastically, he could not move his body like before. The doctor discovered that the cause of the pain was one of his neck vertebrae putting pressure on nearby nerves. After surgery Kim returned home, but it was not long before he developed respiratory problems and was taken to the hospital yet again. On November 9, 2011 he was placed on a ventilator in the intensive care unit because of his breathing difficulties. At this point Kim could neither move nor talk; he had nothing to communicate with but his eyes and a mouth with no words. Kim never woke up again after falling asleep on February 21, 2012. He passed away at Mahesak Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand, on February 23 at the age of 55. He leaves behind his wife and three children. The cause of death was a combination of physical weakness and a pulmonary infection. Kim is one of the many innocent casualties of the violence, and as many of the other victims, he never saw justice for what happened. No one has been held accountable for the shooting of Kim.