A tragic incident occurred in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, where an 11-year-old boy drove a pickup truck into a group of Buddhist monks, resulting in nine fatalities and 13 injuries, according to officials.
The monks were part of a 35-member group traveling from Mukdahan province, located around 592 miles northeast of Bangkok. They were on a 161-mile pilgrimage to Ubon Ratchathani, a city known for its temples, when the crash happened approximately 30 minutes into their journey. Authorities reported that five monks died at the scene, and another four succumbed to their injuries later in the hospital. Thirteen individuals were hospitalized, three of whom sustained serious injuries.
Footage of the tragic event was released by the Ruam Jai Mukdahan Rescue Association, capturing the moment the truck struck the monks as they walked in a line along the road. Local police continue their investigation, indicating that the monks saw the truck approaching before it veered off course.
One of the monks, known as Phra Sompong, mentioned in a video that he was chanting a meditation mantra when he noticed the truck speeding toward them. He expressed that he and another monk managed to get out of the way just in time but described the horror of the aftermath—how the first nine monks in line survived, while others were thrown into the air by the impact.
Mukdahan City Police Chief Prayut Luangthongkham confirmed the young boy was the driver, and he is currently in custody while authorities await child protection officials to begin their investigation. They emphasized that the vehicle is undergoing a forensic examination to ascertain the cause of the accident. The boy’s guardian and a doctor are attending to him, with the police noting that he might require special support.
According to reports, the boy took his parents’ truck without permission and lost control, resulting in the disaster. Prior to the incident, he had been feeling unwell, was absent from school, and had been left home alone. His guardian realized the truck was missing and alerted the police.
Mukdahan Governor Wolayan Bunnarat highlighted the need for stringent road safety measures, stating that this incident should serve as a wake-up call not only for his province but also for the wider community in preventing road accidents. Despite efforts to improve safety, Thailand still faces significant challenges, with the road fatality rate being notably higher than the regional average. In 2021 alone, the country saw approximately 18,000 road-related deaths, which raises serious concerns.
