Toddler terror in Sakon Nakhon as a two-year-old hangs onto an ice truck for over 10km after disappearing from his mother. The driver remains oblivious until police spot the tiny passenger at a red light and bring his journey to an end.
A two-year-old boy survived an astonishing 10-kilometre ride clinging to the rear of an ice delivery truck in Sakon Nakhon. The driver never knew he was there. The toddler had vanished while his mother collected water spinach beside a pond in Chiang Khrua. He was finally spotted at a city red light by a traffic officer, who initially mistook him for a doll. Police stopped the truck, traced the boy’s family and safely reunited them. Meanwhile, a dramatic video of the roadside discovery quickly went viral on social media.
A two-year-old boy survived a stunning journey clinging to an ice delivery truck for more than 10 kilometres. The driver never knew the tiny passenger was hanging from the rear. Earlier, the child had vanished while his mother collected water spinach beside a pond. His dangerous ride finally ended at a red light in Sakon Nakhon city.
The drama emerged on Monday, August 17, 2026, after another motorist spotted the child. The ice truck had stopped at the Pratu Muang intersection in Sakon Nakhon Municipality. Notably, the boy was still gripping the rear after travelling from Chiang Khrua subdistrict.
Facebook user Wanwisa Unchangwang Fahsai was driving behind the truck. She recorded the extraordinary sight and posted the video online. Soon afterwards, the footage went viral across social media. It showed the toddler wearing a faded white long-sleeved shirt behind the truck.
Traffic officer mistakes toddler for a doll before discovering him clinging to the rear of ice truck
Meanwhile, traffic police were already close to the vehicle. Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit Buppasiri was directing traffic near the Sakon Nakhon city gate. He was working around the Ruam Namjai intersection when something strange caught his eye.
At first, Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit thought a doll was attached to the truck. However, he moved closer for another look. The supposed doll was a boy aged about two. Crucially, the child was clinging to the back of the delivery vehicle.
The officer immediately approached the truck. In response, the driver also got out to investigate. He then discovered the toddler hanging from his vehicle. Until that moment, he had been completely unaware that the child was there.
Police quickly questioned the driver about his route. Earlier, he had delivered ice around Ban Chiang Khrua in Chiang Khrua subdistrict. The community is within Mueang Sakon Nakhon district. Afterwards, the driver stopped behind the village to run an errand.
Significantly, villagers were harvesting water spinach in the area at the time. The truck remained parked while the driver dealt with his business. Police suspect the boy climbed onto the vehicle during that stop. Yet nobody had seen him board the truck.
Police suspect toddler climbed onto ice truck during village stop as driver ran an errand nearby
The driver subsequently left the village and headed towards Sakon Nakhon city. All the while, the two-year-old apparently remained attached to the rear. The driver continued for more than 10 kilometres without noticing anything unusual.
In parallel, the child’s mother had lost track of him near a pond. Initial reports said she had been collecting water spinach when her son disappeared. At some point, the toddler moved away unnoticed. The ice truck was also in the wider area during that period.
That detail later provided police with a possible explanation for the extraordinary journey. The driver had stopped behind the village while residents harvested water spinach. Apparently, the toddler reached the parked truck before it departed.
Nevertheless, nobody knew precisely when the child climbed onto the vehicle. The driver certainly did not see him. Nor did anyone alert him as he began travelling towards the provincial capital.
For more than 10 kilometres, the boy remained exposed at the rear of the moving delivery truck. The route carried him from Chiang Khrua into Sakon Nakhon city. Remarkably, the toddler was still hanging on when the truck reached the traffic lights.
Toddler travels over 10 kilometres exposed on rear of ice truck as driver heads into Sakon Nakhon
By then, the vehicle had entered a busy municipal area. Another road user was directly behind it and could clearly see the child. At the same time, Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit noticed the unusual figure from his traffic position.
Initially, its size and appearance fooled the officer. He believed somebody had attached a doll to the ice truck. Seconds later, closer inspection revealed a living child gripping the vehicle.
The discovery immediately brought the journey to an end. Police intervened before the truck could continue. The driver stepped out and saw the toddler for himself. He then explained his earlier movements to officers.
Separately, police had to determine who the boy was and where he belonged. Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit therefore took him to Sakon Nakhon City Police Station. Officers began trying to trace his parents or guardians.
Soon afterwards, the unusual case reached the station’s senior command. Pol Col Apirak Sriharaksa, Superintendent of Sakon Nakhon City Police Station, received the report. He ordered officers to coordinate immediately with Chiang Khrua subdistrict.
As part of this, police checked whether the missing child came from the driver’s previous delivery area. Their inquiries established that the boy lived within Chiang Khrua Municipality. Officials there were then contacted about taking custody of him.
Police rescue toddler at city traffic lights before tracing his home to Chiang Khrua Municipality
The information also connected the child directly to the water spinach gathering area. His mother had been beside a pond when the two-year-old disappeared. Meanwhile, the ice delivery driver had stopped behind the same village area.
Municipal officials subsequently travelled to take custody of the boy. They then returned him safely to his family. No injuries were reported in the supplied information following his journey.
On another front, the driver’s account helped reconstruct the route. He had first been making ice deliveries around Ban Chiang Khrua. He then stopped behind the village before driving into Sakon Nakhon city.
At that stop, residents were collecting water spinach. The boy’s mother had also been collecting water spinach when he disappeared. Police therefore suspected the child boarded the truck while it was parked there.
Police link toddler’s disappearance to water spinach gathering area before he is returned to family
Still, the precise sequence remained unclear. Nobody reported seeing the toddler climb aboard. The driver also remained unaware of him throughout the journey.
Instead, the truck simply pulled away and headed towards the city. Behind it, the two-year-old somehow maintained his grip. The distance eventually exceeded 10 kilometres before anybody stopped the vehicle.
Adding to the drama, the child was not travelling inside the truck. He was clinging to its rear, completely outside the driver’s view. Yet the journey continued until the truck encountered city traffic.
Eventually, the red light proved decisive. The vehicle stopped near the city gate while Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit was directing traffic. His attention turned towards the strange object at the rear.
Moments later, the officer realised it was not an object at all. It was a toddler. The discovery triggered the immediate police intervention that ended the boy’s remarkable journey.
Red light ends toddler’s 10-kilometre ride after officer spots strange figure clinging to ice truck
At the scene, the driver was equally surprised. He had travelled from Chiang Khrua without knowing the child was behind him. Police then retraced his movements to determine where the toddler had come from.
In turn, those inquiries led officers back to Chiang Khrua Municipality. They established the child’s home area and contacted local officials. The toddler was then transferred into municipal care for his return home.
Meanwhile, the motorist’s video transformed the extraordinary roadside discovery into a widely shared social media story. The footage captured the child before police completed the rescue. It also showed the ice truck stationary at the Pratu Muang intersection.
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Ultimately, the boy’s journey stretched more than 10 kilometres from Chiang Khrua into Sakon Nakhon city. His driver never knew he was there. His mother had lost him beside a pond while gathering water spinach.
The journey ended only because a traffic officer took a second look. What Pol Sgt Maj Chakkrit first thought was a doll was a missing two-year-old boy. Minutes later, the child was taken to the police station before later being reunited with his family.
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