Eight Buddhist monks were killed and more than 20 others injured after being hit by a pickup truck driven by an 11-year-old boy during a pilgrimage in Thailand's northeastern province of Mukdahan on Thursday. The victims were part of a group of 34 Buddhist monks and five lay followers traveling from a temple in Mukdahan to another in neighboring Ubon Ratchathani province.
Five monks died at the scene, while three others later succumbed to their injuries in the hospital. A total of 22 monks and one layperson were injured in the crash, including four who remain in critical condition. CCTV footage showed the monks being run over shortly before 11 a.m. local time.
Police reported that the driver, an 11-year-old boy with special needs, took his parents' pickup truck from his family home without permission. He drove about 10 kilometers before losing control of the vehicle and striking the group.
No charges have been filed as investigators work to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash. Officers have not yet been able to question the boy, who is in custody, because he remains in a state of shock and is unable to provide a statement.