Thailand: Pickup Driven by 11-Year-Old Kills 8 Buddhist Monks on Pilgrimage Walk
Eight Buddhist monks were killed and 22 others injured on Thursday when a pickup truck driven by an 11-year-old boy crashed into a group of pilgrims in Thailand's northeastern Mukdahan province, officials confirmed.
The victims were among 34 monks and five lay followers from Mukdahan taking part in a 260-kilometre religious walk to a temple in Ubon Ratchathani province, roughly 600 kilometres northeast of Bangkok, according to Mukdahan Governor Worayan Bunnarat.
Five monks died at the scene, and three more succumbed to injuries later in hospital, the governor said at a press conference. Twenty-two other monks and one layperson were also hurt in the crash; 14 of the injured were hospitalised, four of them in critical condition. The bodies of the deceased were taken to Mukdahan Hospital as officials worked to notify relatives.
The driver, an 11-year-old boy, has been taken into custody and is being investigated. The incident has raised questions about child safety and vehicle access in rural areas. Local authorities are conducting further inquiries into the circumstances of the crash.
The monks were part of a traditional 'thudong' walk, a practice of walking long distances as a form of meditation and merit-making. Such pilgrimages are common in Thailand, especially during Buddhist lent.
In a statement, the monastery expressed grief and requested privacy for the families. The government has offered condolences and assured medical support for the injured.
