A tenth monk has died after a child drove his parents’ vehicle into a procession in northeastern Thailand, authorities said Friday.
• Also read: Thailand: eight Buddhist monks killed after child drives truck into procession
On Thursday, a group of 35 monks and five lay people were walking along a road in Mukdahan province as part of a pilgrimage, when a pickup truck hit the procession.
Five monks died instantly and five others died in hospital. Ten people are still hospitalized, including two in critical condition, Mukdahan hospital said.
According to police, the suspect is an 11-year-old child who took his parents’ vehicle without their permission before losing control.
In Thailand, minors under the age of 12 are not criminally liable.
The child was unable to make a statement to the police, said Mukdahan police chief Prayut Ruanthongkam.
He was handed over to Child Protective Services for an evaluation, accompanied by his mother.
Buddhist monks, highly respected in Thailand, regularly organize public processions.
A representative of Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom, a temple near Mukdahan, told AFP that the temple welcomed the surviving monks and other worshipers who took part in the procession.
Fatal transport accidents are common in Thailand, which has one of the worst road safety records in the world, with speeding, drunk driving and weak law enforcement all contributing factors.
