Eight monks killed after 11-year-old boy crashes pickup truck into pilgrimage group in Thailand | World

As many as eight monks were killed after a pickup truck struck a group of walking monks in north-eastern Thailand, officials said. The incident involved an 11-year-old boy who was driving the vehicle. The accident took place in Mukdahan province, around 600 kilometres from Bangkok. A group of 35 monks had started a 260-kilometre pilgrimage walk towards Ubon Ratchathani province. They had been walking along the roadside for about half an hour when the crash occurred.

Authorities said five monks died at the scene, while three others later died in hospital. Fourteen more monks were injured and taken for treatment. Four of them are reported to be in a critical condition.

Local police confirmed that the boy is in custody and will be questioned once child protection officers arrive. The exact cause of the crash is still being investigated. However, monks told officials they saw the vehicle moving in a swerving manner before it left the road and hit the group.

Security camera footage shared by a local rescue team shows the monks walking in a single line beside the road just moments before the collision.

Teen gun attack at Thai school leaves one dead

Earlier in February, a 17-year-old student carried out a violent attack at a school in southern Thailand, killing one person and injuring two others before police brought the situation under control, officials said. The incident took place at Patongprathankiriwat School in Songkhla province shortly after classes had ended in the afternoon. Panic spread through the campus as shots were fired and people tried to escape.

According to local authorities, the school director was critically injured during the attack and later died in hospital in the early hours of Thursday. One student was shot and wounded, while another was hurt after jumping from a building in an attempt to flee.

Police said the suspect, a 17-year-old with a reported history of drug use and mental health issues, had earlier been involved in a disturbance. Officers were called to the scene, but during the confrontation he allegedly attacked a police officer and took his gun before entering the school premises.

A brief hostage situation followed, lasting around two hours, before armed police engaged the attacker. He was shot and injured in the exchange and later taken into custody.