Nine Buddhist monks were killed and several others injured after an 11-year-old boy allegedly lost control of his parents’ pickup truck.
The pickup truck crashed into a religious procession in Thailand’s Mukdahan province.
The group, made up of 35 monks and five lay followers, was walking on a pilgrimage when the vehicle ploughed into them.
Five monks died at the scene, while four more later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. Several others remain in critical condition.
Police say the boy took the vehicle without permission.
Investigators are still determining how the crash happened.
Officials confirmed the child is receiving care, and preliminary information suggests he has special needs.
Mukdahan Provincial Administrative Organisation
Authorities are investigating the cause of the crash, and have seized the vehicle involved.
Tragedy Sparks Safety Calls
One survivor, monk Phra Sompong, recalled the terrifying moment.
“I saw a boy driving a pickup truck approaching… then suddenly the truck hit at full speed,” he said, adding that he narrowly escaped by jumping out of the way.
Hospitals have appealed for urgent blood donations as doctors continue treating the injured.
Provincial Governor Worayan Bunnarat called the tragedy a stark reminder of the importance of road safety.
He urged parents and communities to do more to prevent similar incidents.
Sometimes, a single moment of lost control changes countless lives forever.
