11-year-old boy kills 8 Thai monks in pickup truck crash
A stolen pickup truck driven by an 11-year-old boy plowed into a group of monks on a pilgrimage walk in northeastern Thailand, leaving eight dead.
11-year-old boy kills 8 Thai monks in pickup truck crash
An 11-year-old boy crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks on a pilgrimage walk in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, July 2, 2026, killing eight people, officials said.
The incident occurred around 11:00 a.m. Near Na Wiang Kae village in the Na Si Nuan subdistrict of Mueang district, Mukdahan province. A bronze-gold pickup truck registered in Mukdahan lost control and struck the pilgrims. According to reports, the boy had stolen the vehicle from his parents and was driving from home toward Mukdahan city before the crash.
Mukdahan Governor Worrayan Boonnarat stated that five monks were killed at the site, while three others later died at a hospital. Other sources report that five monks died at the scene and many were injured.
The pilgrimage consisted of a group of monks from Mukdahan province, located about 600 kilometers or 375 miles northeast of Bangkok. Reports on the total number of monks vary; some officials state there were 35 participants, while other reports list the total as 34. The group had begun a 260-kilometer or 160-mile walk toward Ubon Ratchathani province approximately 30 minutes before the truck struck them.
Fourteen monks were hospitalized, with four in critical condition, according to Governor Boonnarat. Other reports indicate seven were critically injured and about 20 others suffered minor injuries and shock.
Security camera footage released by the Ruam Jai Mukdahan Rescue Association shows the monks walking in a single line on the side of the road just before the truck crashed into them. Local police noted that monks witnessed the vehicle swerving before it slid off the road.
Lieutenant Thira Kaewnate, a highway police officer, said he initially believed the scene was a drill due to the number of injured monks lying on the ground. He subsequently assisted in coordinating rescue teams, hospitals, and local police.
The 11-year-old driver is currently in custody at the Mueang Mukdahan police station. While initial inquiries suggest the boy drove recklessly after stealing the truck, police say the cause of the accident remains under investigation. The boy will be questioned upon the arrival of state child protection officers.
