An 11-year-old boy driving his father’s pickup wiped out a Buddhist pilgrimage in Mukdahan, killing nine monks and injuring 13 others. Parliament is now demanding answers as police investigate one of Thailand’s deadliest tragedies involving the clergy.
An 11-year-old boy driving his father’s pickup truck wiped out a Buddhist pilgrimage in Mukdahan on Thursday, killing nine monks, injuring 13 people and triggering one of the darkest road tragedies ever suffered by Thailand’s clergy. The catastrophe has already reached parliament, where lawmakers are demanding answers over how the child drove 10 kilometres before smashing into the procession, as investigators reconstruct the horrific final seconds described by a surviving monk who escaped by diving clear while watching fellow monks hurled into the air.
The scale of the carnage in Mukdahan province on Thursday quickly reached parliament, where lawmakers demanded answers over how an 11-year-old boy came to be driving a pickup truck.
Within hours, a peaceful Buddhist pilgrimage had become one of Thailand’s deadliest road disasters involving monks. By the end of the day, nine monks were dead and 13 other people had been injured.
The crash happened at 11.55am near the entrance to the Huai Sing area at Ban Na Si Nuan village in Muang district. A gold Isuzu pickup truck suddenly left its course and smashed into a line of monks walking beside the road. Witnesses said the vehicle was travelling at speed before it veered into the procession. Seconds later, bodies and debris were scattered across the carriageway.
Pilgrimage through Mukdahan ended in catastrophe as speeding pickup scattered monks on the road
The monks were undertaking a legitimate religious pilgrimage through northeastern Thailand. Earlier that morning, they had taken a meal at Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom. Afterwards, they resumed their journey on foot towards the Don Tan district. Their pilgrimage had begun in the Nam Khun district of neighbouring Ubon Ratchathani province.
According to police, 34 monks were walking together. However, provincial health officials later said the travelling group consisted of 35 monks and five lay followers. That brought the total number of people on the pilgrimage to 40. They had reached the area near Na Si Nuan Market when disaster struck.
Witnesses described an appalling scene. The pickup lost control before ploughing directly into the line of monks. The force of the collision launched several victims into the air. Others crashed onto the road and roadside verge. Meanwhile, survivors screamed for help as passing motorists stopped and rushed towards the wreckage.
Emergency crews arrived within minutes. Rescue workers, police officers and medical teams found monks lying across both sides of the road. Consequently, first aid began immediately at the scene. Ambulances then carried the seriously injured to nearby hospitals while investigators sealed off the crash site.
Death toll climbed steadily as hospitals battled to save critically injured monks after devastating road impact
Initially, five monks were declared dead where they fell. Doctors then battled to save the most seriously injured casualties. However, three more monks later died in hospital. By late afternoon, another monk succumbed to his injuries. As a result, the confirmed death toll climbed to nine.
The monks who died were identified as Phra Samruay Rawang, Phra Sakda Sila, Phra Chaison Nantasing, Phra Ratchata Thongburan, Phra Khamsing Chailert, Phra Yothin Wannasri, Phra Yut Phongwiset, Phra Nikhom Angkab and Phra Surasak Pinla-or.
Three monks remained in critical condition on Thursday evening. In parallel, nine other monks and one layman were treated for less serious injuries.
Provincial health officials said four monks were initially classified as critical patients and ten as yellow-level casualties. Doctors prepared emergency surgery for two monks with ruptured spleens. They also treated broken bones and multiple traumatic injuries.
Police traced the pickup to child driver after mother reported the vehicle missing before the fatal crash
Police quickly identified the driver as an 11-year-old boy. Officers said the child, who has special needs, had taken his father’s pickup truck without permission. He then drove from Don Tan district towards Muang district, covering about 10 kilometres before the collision.
The boy’s mother realised the vehicle had disappeared and immediately called the police. However, officers failed to intercept the pickup before it reached the monks. Instead, the vehicle continued towards Muang district until it smashed into the pilgrimage.
After the crash, police took the child to Muang district police station. Investigators said they had been unable to question him because he remained in shock. Separately, officers continued examining the vehicle and documenting evidence from the scene.
One surviving monk later described the terrifying final seconds before the impact. Luang Phi Sompong said the monks had been walking peacefully when he suddenly sensed something was wrong. He recalled hearing what he described as a whisper warning him of danger. In response, he shouted to fellow monks to move further towards the edge of the road.
Survivor recalls whispered warning before speeding pickup struck and hurled fellow monks into the air
He continued chanting “Buddho” as he walked. Moments later, he looked up and saw a child driving the pickup directly towards him. He reacted instantly and jumped clear. “While I was walking for a while, I saw a child driving a pickup truck towards me. At that moment, I was chanting ‘Buddho, Buddho’. Suddenly, the pickup truck hit me at close range. Luckily, I jumped out of the way just in time. The rest of us were hit and sent flying into the air.”
His account closely matched evidence gathered by investigators. Notably, other information also pointed to desperate last-second warnings from the front of the procession. Officials said the first four monks noticed the pickup beginning to swerve. They shouted warnings to those behind them. Consequently, the first five monks managed to avoid the vehicle. The sixth monk, however, was struck directly before the pickup tore into the rest of the line.
The abbot responsible for monks in Mukdahan province later visited the scene and met surviving members of the pilgrimage.
He expressed condolences to the families of those killed. Afterwards, he said the monks had followed accepted Buddhist practice throughout the journey. They had walked against the direction of traffic so they could watch approaching vehicles. Officials added they were walking in single file about two metres from the solid line marking the motorcycle lane.
Governor opens emergency centre as insurance details emerge and authorities identify the victims
Mukdahan Governor Worayan Boonnarach later briefed reporters as provincial authorities coordinated the emergency response. As part of this, the province established a coordination centre at the Provincial Disaster Prevention and Mitigation Office. Officials began confirming the identities of the dead and injured while arranging assistance for victims and their families.
Attention also turned to compensation. Preliminary checks showed the pickup carried valid insurance with total cover of approximately 20 million baht. Under the policy, compensation for each fatality is expected to be 500,000 baht.
Injured victims are expected to receive up to 80,000 baht each, together with reimbursement of medical expenses. Nevertheless, officials said all payments remain subject to normal verification procedures.
On another front, the tragedy quickly became a political issue in Bangkok. Lawmakers demanded explanations over how an 11-year-old child had gained access to the pickup. They also questioned why police had been unable to stop the vehicle after receiving the mother’s warning.
Forensic teams reconstruct final seconds as parliament presses officials over child driver and fatal crash
Meanwhile, forensic officers remained at the crash site throughout Thursday. They documented evidence, examined the damaged pickup and reconstructed its final movements. Traffic remained disrupted for hours while investigators completed their work. Hospitals, meanwhile, continued treating survivors as relatives gathered to identify the dead.
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By Thursday evening, the full scale of the disaster had emerged. A peaceful religious pilgrimage had ended in unimaginable loss. Nine monks were dead. Thirteen other people had been injured. Several survivors remained in hospital.
As investigators continued piecing together every moment before the crash, parliament was already demanding answers over how an 11-year-old boy came to be behind the wheel of the pickup that left one of the darkest days Thailand’s Buddhist clergy has suffered in modern times.
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