Eight Buddhist monks were killed and 10 others injured in northeastern Thailand after an 11-year-old boy drove a pickup truck into a religious procession during a pilgrimage, police said.
The incident occurred in Mukdahan province, where a group of around 35 monks and five lay followers were walking along a roadside when the vehicle lost control and struck the procession.
Police said the child had taken his parents’ pickup truck without permission before crashing into the group. Authorities described the suspect as a minor and confirmed that forensic examinations were being carried out on the vehicle to determine the cause of the crash, AFP reports.
According to police, five monks died at the scene, while three others later succumbed to their injuries in hospital. More than 10 injured victims are currently receiving treatment at Mukdahan Hospital.
Officials said the boy’s parents have been summoned for questioning to determine legal responsibility and clarify who was supervising the child at the time of the incident.
Mukdahan City Police Chief Prayut Ruanthongkam confirmed that the driver was an 11-year-old boy, while provincial governor Worayan Bunnarat described the tragedy as a serious warning on road safety and urged stronger parental supervision to prevent similar incidents.
Emergency and rescue teams were deployed to the scene immediately after the crash, with authorities launching a full investigation into the circumstances surrounding the tragedy.
