11-Year-Old Drives Parents' Truck, Kills 10 Buddhist Monks in Thailand

A tragic accident occurred in northeastern Thailand when an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' pickup truck struck a procession of Buddhist monks walking along the roadside during a religious pilgrimage. The incident took place in Mukdahan province, about 600 kilometers from Bangkok, as 35 monks were traveling on foot toward Ubon Ratchathani, a journey of approximately 260 kilometers. The crash happened just half an hour after the pilgrimage began.

Ten monks died as a result of the collision, with five killed instantly at the scene and five more succumbing to injuries in the hospital. Several others were injured, including one in critical condition. Security camera footage released by a local rescue group shows the monks walking in a single file along the road moments before the truck hit them. Local police reported that the monks observed the vehicle swerving before it veered off the road and struck the group.

Authorities confirmed that the boy took the vehicle without his parents' permission. He was taken into custody accompanied by child protection officials. The boy's parents were summoned for questioning to determine their responsibility for supervising him and to assess whether legal action for negligence should be pursued.