THE grandmother of an 11-year-old boy who stole a pickup truck from his house and rammed into a group of Buddhist monks killing eight of them and injuring 21 others plus a layperson in Mukhahan province today (July 2) said he is a special needs child, PPTVHD36 and TV Channel 7 said.
At 11 a.m. Pol. Col. Prayut Rueanthongkham, superintendent of Mukdahan City police station, was alerted by villagers of an accident involving Buddhist monks on pilgrimage on Mukdahan-Don Tal road, near Ban Na Wiang Kae, Na Sinuan subdistrict, Mueang Mukdahan district, and quickly sent Pol. Lt. Col. Wallop Photiwang, the investigating officer, to the scene along with rescuers from Ruam Jai Mukdahan and Mukdahan Charity Foundation, a medical team from Mukdahan Hospital, as well as traffic officers.
At the scene, many monks were found seriously injured lying on the roadside. Nearby was a single-cab bronze colour pickup truck with Mukdahan licence plate, its hood damaged. Two monks had been thrown onto the vehicle. The injured monks were then urgently transported to Mukdahan Hospital for treatment.
Later at 1.30 p.m. Mukdahan Governor Mr. Worayan Boonnarach said the boy ploughed the pickup up into the group of 35 monks and 5 lay followers. They were walking in a single file, against the traffic flow, which is correct according to monastic rules for pilgrimage. Before the accident, the first four monks saw the swerving vehicle and shouted to warn the others, leading to the first five monks being able to dodge it. However, the sixth monk was struck because the driver did not see him.
Meanwhile, the medical team at Mukdahan Hospital said that eight monks died in this accident, with five killed at the scene and three passing away at the hospital. In addition, four monks sustained serious injuries (red category) requiring surgery for ruptured spleens, broken bones, and brain injuries. Ten other monks sustained yellow category injuries. Altogether 21 injured monks and one layperson are still undergoing treatment at the hospital.
The young boy involved in the accident is still in shock and unable to give a statement.
According to the boy’s grandmother, the 11-year-old boy is a special needs child and stole the pickup truck involved in the accident from their home that morning.
She did not know where he was going and had reported the incident to the police, who tried to intercept the vehicle. Her grandson drove through a checkpoint at Na Kham Noi, heading towards Mukdahan city, and rammed into the monks at Ban Na Wiang Kae, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
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The pickup truck the boy stole and hit a group of monks, above and Front Page, and some of the belongings of the monks found at the scene, inserted. Photos – PPTVHD36
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