Boy driving truck crashes into group of monks, killing 8 and injuring 14
An 11-year-old boy crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks on a pilgrimage in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, killing eight people, authorities said.
A total of 35 monks went on the pilgrimage from Mukdahan province, about 600 kilometers northeast of the capital Bangkok. According to Mukdahan Governor Worrayan Boonnarat, five monks were killed on the spot, while three other monks died in hospital. Another 14 people were hospitalized, four of whom were in critical condition.
The group began the 260-kilometer trek to Ubon Ratchathani province about 30 minutes before the crash.
CCTV footage shared by local rescue group Ruam Jai Mukdahan Rescue Association shows the monks walking in a single file on the roadside before the truck hit them.
Local police said the child is currently in custody and will be questioned when state child welfare officials arrive.
Police said the cause of the crash was still under investigation, but the monks told them they saw the vehicle swerve before it swerved and hit the group.
This photo released by Phu Manorom temple shows monks slightly injured in an accident in Mukdahan province, resting at Phu Manorom temple in Mukdahan province, Thailand, Thursday, July 2, 2026. / Credit: Phu Manorom temple via AP
“I saw a boy driving a pickup truck approaching. At that moment I was shouting ‘Buddho, Buddho’ (meditation mantra),” a monk identified as Phra Sompong said in a video posted online by local rescue workers.
“Then all of a sudden the truck hit it at full speed and hit us like that,” he said, gesturing.
“Luckily another monk and I managed to get out of the way in time,” he added.
“The first nine monks in the row survived. But the others who were shot were thrown into the air.”
Video shows monks walking before crash
CCTV footage from a nearby property shows the monks walking along the road, multiple vehicles passing by, followed by a loud crashing sound before the procession comes to a halt.
Police said the boy took his parents’ pickup truck without permission before losing control of the vehicle and hitting the monks.
“The suspect is a child. The vehicle was taken for forensic examination to determine the cause,” Mukdahan Provincial Police Chief Police Major General Pairoj Thaiphutsa told reporters.
“We have asked the child’s parents to come forward so that we can determine who is responsible for the child’s care and continue the legal process,” he added.
Mukdahan City Police Chief Prayut Ruanthongkam told AFP by phone that the child was an 11-year-old boy.
Buddhist monks are highly respected in Thailand and are charged with preserving and passing on the teachings of the Buddha.
They frequently hold public parades and are commonly seen receiving goodwill alms from ordinary Thais.
Mukdahan Governor Worayan Bunnarat said the case should serve as a broader wake-up call about road safety.
Fatal transport accidents are common in Thailand, which has one of the worst road safety records in the world, with factors such as excessive speeding, drunk driving and poor law enforcement enforcement.
“We have been very meticulous about road safety in recent years. This situation should be a lesson not only to our city, but also to the public in general about preventing traffic accidents,” he said.
“I think everyone involved needs to help, especially the parents, because no one wants something like this to happen.”
