A heartbreaking tragedy unfolded in northeastern Thailand when an 11-year-old boy with special needs snatched his family’s pickup truck and plowed straight into a procession of Buddhist monks on a sacred pilgrimage.
The horror crash happened Thursday in Mukdahan province as dozens of saffron-robed holy men walked single file along the roadside, chanting during their spiritual journey.
Security camera footage of the nightmare — now circulating widely online — shows the monks marching peacefully when the truck suddenly veers off course and barrels into the group at speed.
Five monks were killed instantly at the scene. Three more died later in hospital from their injuries. More than 20 others were hurt, some critically.
The boy, who took the pickup without permission from his family home, drove about six miles before losing control, according to Mukdahan provincial police chief Major General Pairoj Thaiphutra.
He is now in custody but has not been charged. Investigators say the child was in shock and too distraught to give a statement yet. The truck has been seized for forensic examination.
One surviving monk described the terrifying moment in graphic detail: “I saw a boy driving a pickup truck approaching … then suddenly the truck hit at full speed and crashed us. Luckily, another monk and I managed to jump out of the way in time.”
The group of roughly 35 monks and lay followers was walking from a temple in Mukdahan toward Ubon Ratchathani as part of a traditional pilgrimage.
Mukdahan Governor Vorayan Bunarat called the crash a painful lesson on road safety and urged parents to stay vigilant.
Hospitals are appealing for urgent blood donations to treat the injured survivors.
The gut-wrenching footage has sparked shock and sorrow across Thailand and beyond, with many struggling to comprehend how a child behind the wheel could cause such devastation on what should have been a peaceful spiritual walk.
