In northeastern Thailand, a tragic incident occurred on Thursday when an 11-year-old boy drove a pickup truck into a cluster of monks engaged in a pilgrimage. The crash resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, according to official sources.
The pilgrimage involved 35 monks from Mukdahan province, positioned roughly 600 kilometers from Bangkok. They had embarked on a spiritual journey across the region.
Mukdahan’s Governor, Worrayan Boonnarat, reported that five monks lost their lives instantly at the scene, while three more succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.
Additionally, fourteen other monks sustained injuries and were admitted to the hospital, with four listed in critical condition.
This expedition began only half an hour prior to the accident, covering a 260-kilometer path from Mukdahan to Ubon Ratchathani province.
Security camera footage shared by a local rescue group, Ruam Jai Mukdahan Rescue Association, shows the monks walking in a single line on the side of a road before the truck crashes into them.
Local police said the boy is now in custody and will be questioned when state child protection officers arrive.
The police said the cause of the accident is still under investigation, but said they were told by the monks that they saw the vehicle swerving before it slid off the road and crashed into the group.