Nurse Praised For Stopping To Help Monks Hit By Truck
A nurse off-duty in Mukdahan province stopped to provide emergency care after an 11-year-old boy crashed a stolen truck into a Buddhist procession, killing nine monks and injuring over ten people.
Internet users have widely praised Nurse Watree for her compassion and professionalism after she stopped to help injured monks, even though she was off-duty at the time. An 11-year-old boy stole his father's pickup truck and crashed into a Buddhist procession in the Ban Nasi Nuan area of Mueang district, Mukdahan province, killing nine monks and injuring over ten people.
On July 2, reporters noted that while officials and good Samaritans assisted at the scene, one woman was skillfully providing emergency care to the injured monks. Netizens became curious about her identity due to her competent and proper handling of the victims.
The woman was identified as Watree, or Viwat Lae Noi, a specialized professional nurse at the Ban Nasi Nuan Community Health Center, who is set to retire in September. She explained that while driving into town for official business at the Mukdahan Provincial Administrative Organization, she encountered the accident at Ban Nai Wiang Kaeo and immediately stopped to report it to emergency services and provide first aid.
Despite being off-duty, Watree's nursing spirit could not be suppressed. She provided comprehensive care, including CPR and helping transport the injured monks to the hospital, even overcoming the traditional restriction against touching monks—a rule that could be waived in emergencies. Her actions earned her significant praise from internet users across Thailand.
