Grief as 11-year-old driving pickup truck kills several people

• An 11-year-old boy crashed a truck into monks, killing eight during a pilgrimage in the Asian nation of Thailand
• In the aftermath of the unfortunate accident, five monks died at the scene, while three others gave up the ghost at the hospital
• Road accidents are common in Thailand, which consistently ranks among the most dangerous countries in the world for traffic fatalities
•   Bangkok, Thailand - An 11-year-old boy crashed a pickup truck into a group of monks on a pilgrimage walk in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, July 2, killing eight.   As reported by The Associated Press, a total of 35 monks from Mukdahan province, about 600 kilometres northeast of the capital Bangkok, were on the pilgrimage.

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  An 11-year-old boy in Thailand driving a pickup truck kills eight monks during a pilgrimage on Thursday, July 2, 2026. Photo credit: @ThaiEnquirer Source: Twitter

  Five monks were killed at the site, while three others died at a hospital, according to Mukdahan Governor Worrayan Boonnarat.

  Police said the cause of the accident is still under investigation. However, the monks told investigators they saw the vehicle swerving before it veered off the road and crashed into the group.

  Thailand’s roads are among the deadliest in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

  The Southeast Asian country ranked as the world's second-deadliest for road traffic fatalities in the WHO's 2015 assessment. 

•    Local police said the minor is now in custody and will be questioned when state child protection officers arrive.

  Thailand's roads claim dozens of lives every day.

•  Police said the cause of the accident is still under investigation. However, the monks told investigators they saw the vehicle swerving before it veered off the road and crashed into the group.

  Thailand’s roads are among the deadliest in the world according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

  The Southeast Asian country ranked as the world's second-deadliest for road traffic fatalities in the WHO's 2015 assessment. 

  • According to a 2026 report on VnExpress International, road accident claimed 191 lives across the first five days of the Songkran holiday, the world’s largest water festival, with Bangkok recording the highest number of fatalities.

  From April 10 to 14, were 951 accidents in total, leaving 911 people injured.

  On April 14 alone, there were 192 road accidents, 202 people injured and 30 deaths.

  Speeding was the most common cause of the accidents, accounting for 38.54%, followed by drink-driving.