Six Monks Killed by 11-Year-Old Driver in Mukdahan Crash

34 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I thought the video showed the truck coming up from behind them. Am I wrong. The image is small.

The PU came at great speed frpm the front. The first 3 or 4 monks saw it and jumped away. The others walking in line behind them didn't have the view or time to escape. The noise of the constant traffic wouldn't indicate one vehicle was coming at them.

44 minutes ago, John Drake said:

I thought the video showed the truck coming up from behind them. Am I wrong. The image is small.

It is a road safety issue....shouldn't the monks be walking against on-coming traffic so they can see what is coming? Damage on the front of vehicle indicates the truck was going at some

speed since 20 plus monks were hit....not even having any time to react (were they in a single file or small groups?)

18 hours ago, Rockyroad said:

3 lifetimes of bad karma for him

Does that mean that he will be sent to the mon-key house for his naughty behaviour.

16 hours ago, WHansen said:

RIP Monks.

From the article it seems the grandmother was supervising the child, no criticism there but it always pains me when i see elderly people who should be slowing down and enjoying life, taking on the role of guardians to young kids. I know lots of single mothers have to go away to earn money and they send money back home for the kids, as my girlfriends sister does, but it makes me feel sorry for the elderly grandparents. 5 years ago my girlfriends 75 year old mother was taking care of a baby, a 4 year old and a 8 year old on her own.

I know it is normal here but i can't help feeling very sorry for them.

Many Thais have children as an insurance policy, to care for them when they get old. Actually raising them isn't part of the thought process. Palming that job off to the grandparents is, with often inevitable consequences. No discipline, no father figure etc. If you can't afford to have kids and have to work away from them, don't have kids. Show some responsibility instead of potentially wrecking that kids future.

UPDATE

Boy Drives Pickup Into Pilgrim Monks in Mukdahan

Picture courtesy of ThaiRath

CCTV footage has revealed the route taken by an 11-year-old boy before a pickup truck crashed into a group of pilgrim monks in Mukdahan province, leaving 10 monks dead and several others injured. The footage shows the vehicle travelling around 10 kilometres from the family’s home before the collision on Route 2034 between Mukdahan and Don Tan district.

On 2 July 2026, Mukdahan Hospital confirmed that Phra Sakon Klangsungnoen had died from his injuries, raising the death toll to 10. Another injured monk, Phra Somkiat Monipornnatchai, was transferred to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani province for further treatment.

The crash occurred at 10:52am on 2 July 2026, after the pickup had been captured on CCTV at three locations. The first camera recorded the vehicle leaving the family home at 10:41am while travelling against the flow of traffic. A second camera at the Ban Nakham Noi checkpoint showed the pickup passing three minutes later without crossing into the opposite lane before the fatal collision minutes afterwards.

Families of the injured and deceased monks travelled to Mukdahan Hospital following the crash. Among them was Thai singer Oil Saengsin, whose father, Phra Ratchata Thongburan, was among those killed.

Oil Saengsin said he flew to Nakhon Phanom before travelling by road to Mukdahan Hospital to arrange to see his father’s body. He said they had recently spoken about sound equipment because his father, who had been ordained for some time, was training to become a preacher monk and had been checking microphone equipment. He added that he had received the news after waking following a busy night of work and had initially been unable to contact the abbot. Funeral arrangements have yet to be decided, with discussions continuing over whether services will be held jointly or separately.

Earlier, the 11 year old boy’s grandfather said the child had stayed home from school because of a cold while his mother and grandfather were working on the family farm. The boy was alone with his grandmother, who was preparing crushed leaves to sell at the market.

The grandfather said he did not know how the boy obtained the vehicle keys. According to his account, the boy locked the pickup from the inside before driving away, preventing his grandmother from opening the door. She attempted to follow him, but the crash happened before she could catch up. He insisted his grandson could not drive and said the family did not understand how the child had managed to take the vehicle.

One of the surviving monks, Monk Apirak, said the group consisted of 34 monks and five laypeople from Nam Khun district, Ubon Ratchathani province. They were returning to their temple before the start of Buddhist Lent after walking six to seven kilometres when the pickup suddenly drove into the group. He said four monks at the front managed to avoid the vehicle, while others were struck, with five dying at the scene and five more later dying in hospital.

ThaiRath reported that authorities are continuing their investigation into how the child gained control of the pickup and the circumstances leading to the crash.

Adapted by ASEAN Now Thairath 3 July 2026

19 hours ago, Nemises said:

This is one of those stories where everyone loses. RIP to the monks.

Indeed- an enormous tragedy on so many fronts

RIP

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

He should be in school... if he was he could not steal at all.... why was he at home?? He was not ill apparently

Quote 'Earlier, the 11 year old boy’s grandfather said the child had stayed home from school because of a cold while his mother and grandfather were working on the family farm.'

1 hour ago, ikke1959 said:

He should be in school... if he was he could not steal at all.... why was he at home?? He was not ill apparently

From the Thairath article:

Earlier, the 11 year old boy’s grandfather said the child had stayed home from school because of a cold while his mother and grandfather were working on the family farm. The boy was alone with his grandmother, who was preparing crushed leaves to sell at the market.

This is the most serious consequence of some of the very disturbing situations happening in Thailand. You can blame the parents, the grandparents, the parenting problems, the law, the schools, the police, the government. Doesn't matter. But it needs to be addressed! I see this situation developing on my own street here in Thailand. Young children driving scooters with or without sidecars, (with children as passengers) etc. Speeding with no fear. A person nearby with down syndrome most likely around 11 and not in school. I asked the GF why he's not in school and she said the family is afraid the boy would have problems. How do you fix a toxic system? When is it going to begin?

1 hour ago, roo860 said:

Quote 'Earlier, the 11 year old boy’s grandfather said the child had stayed home from school because of a cold while his mother and grandfather were working on the family farm.'

When I was young my parents did not allow me to stay at home for a cold..... I had to go and try and if I really gotta feel worse I could come home, which of course never happened. The boy was apparently not having a big problem with his cold as he could go away

Unbelievable he hit all of them and collected them all as he continued.

If didn't know better you would think he done it on purpose as he obviously drove to that point without hitting anything and yet when at that location he suddenly pulls to the side . Then add the speed he was going indicates he obviously knew how to drive the car . Who taught an 11 year old kid with special needs to drive a car !!

Aren't sons treated as gods here? Very wrong and tragic

A real tragedy of the type that Thailand seems particularly prone. The black and white video of the truck ploughing into the procession of monks at high speed is truly shocking.

4 hours ago, cardinalblue said:

It is a road safety issue....shouldn't the monks be walking against on-coming traffic so they can see what is coming? Damage on the front of vehicle indicates the truck was going at some

speed since 20 plus monks were hit....not even having any time to react (were they in a single file or small groups?)

They were walking correctly on the right facing oncoming traffic as revealed in this video:

And 'Parent of the Year' award goes to.....

4 hours ago, Bangkok Barry said:

Many Thais have children as an insurance policy, to care for them when they get old. Actually raising them isn't part of the thought process. Palming that job off to the grandparents is, with often inevitable consequences. No discipline, no father figure etc. If you can't afford to have kids and have to work away from them, don't have kids. Show some responsibility instead of potentially wrecking that kids future.

My ex's mom had 11 children, and most are mentally ill. Only three have acted normally in all the years I've been around them. Those are the ones who have separated themselves from mom, and have decent relationships.

Mom is very mean, and my ex has told of the hate she has towards her many times, although she inherited it herself and that anger is shown towards anyone around her that disagrees with her, including her three daughters.

Dad was violent and hardly around, then passed away. One major reason I will take my daughter away as that family has some serious problems.

2 hours ago, 1happykamper said:

Aren't sons treated as gods here? Very wrong and tragic

Sons are a blessing when born and end up as a curse, (not always of course), and daughter's are looked at as secondary, hopefully reincarnated back as males.

4 hours ago, 300sd said:

This is the most serious consequence of some of the very disturbing situations happening in Thailand. You can blame the parents, the grandparents, the parenting problems, the law, the schools, the police, the government. Doesn't matter. But it needs to be addressed! I see this situation developing on my own street here in Thailand. Young children driving scooters with or without sidecars, (with children as passengers) etc. Speeding with no fear. A person nearby with down syndrome most likely around 11 and not in school. I asked the GF why he's not in school and she said the family is afraid the boy would have problems. How do you fix a toxic system? When is it going to begin?

My ex's brother's kid, left with grandma at 2, never went to school, and can't read Thai. All the other 11 kids in that house did go to school, although home was the problem. Always getting high, poisons animals and looking into his eyes you see a dark person you don't want to be around.

5 hours ago, save the frogs said:

The monks are walking from left to right on the screen.

The truck is coming in from the right side.

Even if it was from behind, they should have heard the truck. We can hear it in the video very loudly.

I'm guessing they are in some spaced-out meditative state with their heads down when they are walking on the street.

Perhaps they need to reconsider this "ritual" or whatever it is they're doing that makes them unaware of their surroundings.

Like all Thais probably they were talking to much and not concentrating on staying safe on the road. Then again they may've been on yabba, I know of quite a few older people who use it regularly not far from my wifes house in the Korat country side.

Notice in the second video added by a commentor where there was a dog and ran away. Even it was disgusted with the horrific event. RIP What a horrible accident and especially by an eleven year old.

7 hours ago, ikke1959 said:

He should be in school... if he was he could not steal at all.... why was he at home?? He was not ill apparently

Quote from OP -

identified only as “A” to protect his identity, is an 11-year-old child with special needs.

45 minutes ago, Burma Bill said:

Quote from OP -

identified only as “A” to protect his identity, is an 11-year-old child with special needs.

So?? in my class I had same kids in primary school.. Down, ADHD, psychical problems. etc... Normal in Thailand to be in school

11 hours ago, save the frogs said:

Craziest incident I've ever seen.

Did the monks have their heads down and not see a pickup speeding toward them? I don't get it.

Thais don't pay attention to their surroundings when walking or driving (except to make sure they get ahead first).

Scanning for hazards, giving way, or courteous gestures arent on their radar.

It is just "me first" tunnel vision

5 hours ago, Rams86 said:

Like all Thais probably they were talking to much and not concentrating on staying safe on the road. Then again they may've been on yabba, I know of quite a few older people who use it regularly not far from my wifes house in the Korat country side.

Tasteless comment....do you ever engage your brain before posting?

hey probably weren't expecting to be mowed down by an 11 year old with special needs.

On 7/2/2026 at 2:35 PM, richard_smith237 said:

That said, it did make me think. Our car keys aren't locked away. My son could take the car keys from my wife's handbag or my bike keys from the drawer and go for a joyride. The difference is he knows the consequences would be so utterly Machiavellian he'd be measuring the passage of time in months before seeing anything resembling a privilege again.

His punishment is irrelevant if he's taken the car and killed a bunch of people and possibly himself. Even a non-special-needs 11-year-old kid is a huge risk in a car. This could have been your problem - lock the keys away.

44 minutes ago, JensenZ said:

His punishment is irrelevant if he's taken the car and killed a bunch of people and possibly himself. Even a non-special-needs 11-year-old kid is a huge risk in a car. This could have been your problem - lock the keys away.

A tough message to read - but you’re not wrong - I’d like to think the level of discipline & due to how well behaved my Son is a similar occurrence is an impossibility - I imagine every parent thinks the same - but that’s over confidence.

No matter how well behaved our children may be - being 100% certain something like this could never happen to us is flawed thinking.

These children drove by my house today! Almost a daily occurrence!