9 monks passed away after an 11-year-old driver ran over a group of Thai monks who were walking. CCTV

Nine Buddhist monks have passed away and more than twenty others have been injured in a very tragic road accident in Mukdahan Province, Thailand. The accident occurred when a group of monks walking along the roadside in an area about 600 kilometers northeast of Bangkok was hit by a pickup truck driven without permission by an 11-year-old boy, who lost control of the vehicle.

This accident, which occurred on Thursday, July 2, 2026, in the afternoon, has become a horrific national tragedy that has shocked all of Thailand.

A group of 35 Buddhist monks and five lay followers, who were on a planned Dhutanga pilgrimage walking 260 kilometers towards Ubon Ratchathani Province, were traveling in a single file along the roadside. The accident occurred within a short period of 30 minutes after the start of this journey. Five monks passed away at the scene of the accident, and the other four passed away after being hospitalized. Among the injured, the condition of three or four monks is serious, and others are receiving intensive care at Mukdahan Hospital due to head injuries and bone fractures, prompting hospital authorities to call for an emergency blood donation drive.

According to security camera footage near the accident site, as the monks were walking on the road where vehicles were normally operating, the pickup truck suddenly appeared and collided at high speed. Afterwards, robes and belongings were scattered across the road, creating a chaotic situation. A monk named Phra Somphon, who survived the accident, stated that while he was meditating on the mantra 'Buddho, Buddho,' he saw the pickup truck speeding towards them and managed to jump aside with another monk, saving their lives. He sadly described that although the nine monks leading the procession managed to survive, the other monks behind them were hit by the vehicle and thrown into the air.

At the time of the accident, the pickup truck was driven by an 11-year-old boy who was home alone that day due to illness and did not attend school. According to preliminary information, he is a child with special needs and was in severe shock after the accident, initially unable to even give a statement. He is currently under the care of child protection officers, guardians, and a doctor. As per Thai law, children under 12 years of age are exempt from criminal responsibility, so the police are currently focusing on taking legal action regarding parental responsibility and care. The vehicle has been sent for forensic examination to check its speed and any mechanical defects.

Mukdahan Provincial Police Commander Major General Pairoj Thaiputsa stated that since the suspect is a child, his parents would be summoned to investigate their responsibility for his care and to proceed with further legal actions. Provincial Governor Worayan Bunnarat also noted that despite strict road safety laws being implemented in recent years, this incident serves as a harsh lesson for parents and the general public on preventing road accidents. In Thai society, which holds Buddhist monks in high regard, this incident has caused great sorrow and shock, once again sparking a serious discussion about the importance of child supervision and road safety in a country with a high road accident rate.
CCTV video is below.

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