Ten Buddhist Monks Killed by Truck Driven by Child in Thailand

Ten Buddhist monks lost their lives on Thursday when an 11-year-old boy driving his parents' truck hit a religious procession in northeastern Thailand, according to police reports.

Following the collision, ten additional individuals are receiving medical treatment in hospitals, with two in critical condition, according to the latest updates from Mukdahan Hospital in the northeast region. The procession consisted of 35 monks and five Buddhist followers traveling along a road in Mukdahan province during a pilgrimage when the incident occurred, local police chief Pairoj Taifotsa told reporters, identifying the driver as an "11-year-old child."

He added that authorities have seized the truck for a technical inspection aimed at determining the cause of the accident. "We summoned the boy's parents to establish who was responsible for supervising the vehicle, in preparation for initiating legal procedures," he said.

Police indicated that the child operated his parents' vehicle without permission before losing control and running over the monks. Five monks died immediately at the scene, while four others later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital.