11-Year-Old Driver in Monk Crash Can't Communicate Details
An 11-year-old boy hospitalized after driving a vehicle into monks on alms rounds cannot communicate details about the incident and will remain under child welfare protection while a multidisciplinary team determines appropriate care and ju
On July 6, 2026, Anuvatana Bunyapun, director of Maha Sarakham's child and family shelter, provided an update on the 11-year-old boy who was driving the vehicle that struck a group of monks on alms rounds. The child remains hospitalized at Phra Sri Mahabodhee Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani under legal child welfare protection procedures.
Once medical clearance is granted for the child to return to Maha Sarakham province, he will be transferred to the provincial shelter. A multidisciplinary team comprising legal authorities, doctors, psychologists, social workers, and other agencies will then meet to determine appropriate welfare protection, rehabilitation, and justice procedures tailored to the child.
Bunyapun noted that during an earlier two-hour visit to the shelter, staff could not interview the child about the incident. The boy cannot communicate information and constantly walks or runs around, making communication dependent primarily on conversations through his mother and grandmother. After receiving medical treatment and evaluation, the multidisciplinary team will assess the child's physical and mental readiness before legal investigation procedures begin. Investigators continue gathering evidence to pursue the case through the justice system while protecting the rights of victims, the child, and ensuring fairness for all parties involved.
