Police in Thailand say an 11-year-old boy drives his parents’ pickup truck without permission into a Buddhist procession in Mukdahan province, northeast Thailand, killing monks and injuring others. Multiple outlets report that the boy takes the vehicle from his parents and then loses control before the crash hits the group walking along a road during a pilgrimage. Reports differ slightly on the death toll, with sources citing eight or at least nine monks killed, and describing around 10 people injured, some seriously. One account says five monks die at the scene and additional monks die later in hospital, bringing the total to nine. CCTV footage shared by local responders shows the monks, in orange robes, walking in the procession before the moment of impact, and police say the timestamp is shortly before 11am local time.
Police say the boy is now in custody and will be questioned. Authorities also note the vehicle is taken for forensic examination and that the parents are being asked to come in as investigators determine responsibility. Under Thai law, children under 12 do not have criminal liability, while local officials call the incident a road-safety warning.
