9 Buddhist Monks killed in Thailand after 11-year-old crashes Truck into pilgrimage procession

A devastating accident in northeastern Thailand has left nine Buddhist monks dead and over 20 people injured after an 11-year-old boy took his parents' pickup truck and crashed into a religious pilgrimage.

The tragedy occurred in Mukdahan province as a group of 35 monks and five lay followers were walking along the side of a road.The truck hit at full speedOne of the survivors, a monk named Phra Sompong, recounted the terrifying moment in a video shared online by local rescue workers. "I saw a boy driving a pickup truck, approaching. At that moment I was chanting 'Buddho, Buddho' [a meditation mantra]," he said. "Then suddenly the truck hit at full speed and crashed [into] us.

Luckily another monk and I managed to jump out of the way in time. The first nine monks in line survived.

But others who were hit were thrown into the air."Five monks were killed instantly at the scene, while three others later succumbed to their injuries at the hospital. Thirteen other monks were hospitalized, with four remaining in critical condition. CCTV footage from a house near the scene shows the people walking along the road like they normally do with cars passing by when suddenly there is a crash that makes everyone stop.

Investigation and AccountabilityThe police found out that an 11-year-old boy took his parents car without asking and then lost control of it and hit the people who were walking. Police Major General Pairoj Thaiphutsa, who is, in charge of the Mukdahan Provincial Police said that the police have taken the car to figure out exactly what happened.He said the boy who did this is a kid. The police want to talk to the boys parents to find out who was supposed to be taking care of him so they can decide what to do with the investigation of the crash and the boy and the car and the people who got hurt.

Mukdahan City Police chief Prayut Ruanthongkam also confirmed the driver's age to reporters.A Lesson for the NationIn Thailand, Buddhist monks are deeply revered figures, looked to for spiritual guidance and the preservation of the Buddha's teachings. Public processions like the one that happened are something you see all the time, where people from there get together to give them money. The sad thing that happened has started people talking again about how bad the roads are in Thailand.

Thailand has some of the most dangerous roads in the world and they are always having problems with people driving too fast driving after drinking and the police not doing enough to stop it.

Mukdahan Provincial Governor Worayan Bunnarat expressed hope that this tragedy will serve as a stark wake-up call for families and communities across the country."We've been very strict on road safety in recent years," Governor Bunnarat said. "This case should be a lesson not just for our province, but for the public in general when it comes to preventing road accidents. I think everyone involved, especially parents, needs to help, because no-one wants something like this to happen."Image courtesy: ABC news