Pickup Truck Plows Into Buddhist Procession, Killing Eight Monks in Thailand

MUKDAHAN PROVINCE, Thailand - A tragic accident took the lives of eight Buddhist monks Thursday when an 11-year-old boy drove his parents’ pickup truck into their pilgrimage procession.

The incident occurred along a roadside in northeastern Mukdahan province. Authorities said the group consisted of 35 monks and five lay followers. The boy had taken the vehicle without permission before losing control.

Five monks died at the scene. Three more later succumbed to their injuries at Mukdahan Hospital, where more than ten others are currently being treated.

Police are investigating the cause and have called the child’s parents in for questioning to determine legal responsibility. Mukdahan provincial governor Worayan Bunnarat stressed the tragedy must serve as a critical warning on road safety, urging the public and parents to help prevent future accidents.