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An 11-year-old lad crashed a pickup motortruck into a radical of monks connected a pilgrimage locomotion successful northeastern Thailand connected Thursday, sidesplitting eight, officials said.
A full of 35 monks from Mukdahan province, astir 600 kilometers northeast of the superior Bangkok, were connected the pilgrimage. Five monks were killed astatine the site, portion 3 others died astatine a hospital, according to Mukdahan Governor Worrayan Boonnarat. Fourteen others were hospitalized, with 4 successful captious condition.
The radical started the 260-kilometer locomotion to Ubon Ratchathani state astir 30 minutes earlier the crash.
Security camera footage shared by a section rescue group, Ruam Jai Mukdahan Rescue Association, shows the monks walking successful a azygous enactment connected the broadside of a roadworthy earlier the motortruck crashes into them.
Local constabulary said the lad is present successful custody and volition beryllium questioned erstwhile authorities kid extortion officers arrive.
The constabulary said the origin of the mishap is inactive nether investigation, but said they were told by the monks that they saw the conveyance swerving earlier it slid disconnected the roadworthy and crashed into the group.
This photograph released by the Phu Manorom temple shows monks who were somewhat injured from a clang successful Mukdahan state taking remainder astatine Phu Manorom temple successful Mukdahan province, Thailand, Thursday, July 2, 2026.
Phu Manorom temple via AP
"I saw a lad driving a pickup truck, approaching. At that infinitesimal I was chanting 'Buddho, Buddho' (a meditation mantra)," 1 monk, identified arsenic Phra Sompong, said successful a video posted online by section rescue workers.
"Then abruptly the motortruck deed astatine afloat velocity and crashed america similar this," helium said, gesticulating.
"Luckily different monk and I managed to leap retired of the mode successful time," helium added.
"The archetypal 9 monks successful enactment survived. But others who were deed were thrown into the air."
Video shows monks walking earlier crash
CCTV footage from a adjacent spot shows the monks walking on the road, aggregate vehicles driving past and past the dependable of a large clang earlier the procession stops.
Police said the lad had taken his parents' pickup motortruck without support earlier losing power of the conveyance and crashing into the monks.
"The fishy is simply a child. The conveyance has been taken for forensic introspection to find the cause," Police Major General Pairoj Thaiphutsa, commandant of the Mukdahan Provincial Police, told reporters.
"We've asked the child's parents to travel successful truthful we tin find who is liable for the child's care, truthful we tin spell connected with ineligible process," helium added.
Prayut Ruanthongkam, main of Mukdahan City Police, told AFP by telephone that the kid was a lad aged 11.
Buddhist monks are highly venerated successful Thailand, entrusted with preserving and passing connected the Buddha's teachings.
They often clasp nationalist processions and are wide seen receiving alms of goodwill from mean Thais.
Mukdahan provincial politician Worayan Bunnarat said the lawsuit should service arsenic a wider informing connected roadworthy safety.
Deadly transport accidents are communal successful Thailand, which has 1 of the worst roadworthy information records successful the world, with speeding, drunk driving and anemic instrumentality enforcement each contributing factors.
"We've been precise strict connected roadworthy information successful caller years. This lawsuit should beryllium a acquisition not conscionable for our province, but for the nationalist successful wide erstwhile it comes to preventing roadworthy accidents," helium said.
"I deliberation everyone involved, particularly parents, needs to help, due to the fact that nary 1 wants thing similar this to happen."
Agence France-Presse contributed to this report.
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