11-Year-Old Driving Stolen Pickup Kills Ten Monks in Thailand
11-Year-Old Driving Stolen Pickup Kills Ten Monks in Thailand
MUKDAHAN, Thailand, 3 July 2026 — At least ten Buddhist monks have been killed and dozens of others injured after an 11-year-old boy driving his family’s pickup truck crashed into a group of monks taking part in a religious pilgrimage in Thailand’s northeastern province of Mukdahan.
The crash occurred at approximately 11:00am on 2 July near Ban Na Wiang Kae in Na Si Nuan subdistrict, Muang district. Police said the bronze-gold pickup struck a group of monks walking along the roadside during their pilgrimage.
Six monks were pronounced dead at the scene, while seven others suffered serious injuries and another 20 sustained minor injuries. Emergency responders rushed the injured to Mukdahan Hospital and nearby medical facilities, where four of the seriously injured monks later died, raising the death toll to ten.
Police identified the driver only as “A”, an 11-year-old boy whose identity has been withheld because he is a minor. According to investigators, the child’s 72-year-old grandmother, Thong Yoon, said the boy, who has special needs, took the family’s pickup truck without permission earlier that morning while other family members were unaware.
The grandmother immediately alerted police after discovering the vehicle was missing. Authorities attempted to intercept the pickup after receiving reports that it had passed through the Na Kham Noi checkpoint heading towards Mukdahan city.
The vehicle later crashed into the group of monks near Ban Na Wiang Kae, causing one of the deadliest road accidents involving Buddhist pilgrims in recent years.
Police have not yet disclosed what caused the vehicle to leave its path before striking the monks. Officers are interviewing witnesses and those connected to the incident while examining the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing and that any legal action will be determined after all evidence has been reviewed.
