His Majesty the King has graciously placed the injured and deceased victims of a pickup truck crash involving a group of monks in Mukdahan province under royal patronage.
The Mukdahan provincial public relations office announced on Friday that that His Majesty the King has extended royal patronage to both the injured and the deceased monks.
Mukdahan Hospital reported that Phra Sakhorn Klangsungnoen had succumbed to his injuries at about 9pm on Thursday, becoming the 10th fatality from the accident.
The public hospital said one critically injured monk, Phra Somkiat Maneepornratthanachai, who had been receiving treatment in the Surgical Intensive Care Unit (SICU), has been transferred to Sunpasitthiprasong Hospital in Ubon Ratchathani for specialist treatment.
The fatal crash occurred while a group of 34 monks was undertaking a thudong, or a forest pilgrimage from Wat Roi Phra Phutthabat Phu Manorom in Mukdahan to Nam Yuen district in Ubon Ratchathani. A pickup truck, driven by a 11-year-old boy, ploughed into the procession on Highway 2034 in tambon Na Si Nuan, Muang district of Mukdahan province.
Five monks died at the scene, while four others later succumbed to their injuries at Mukdahan Hospital.
On Friday, Deputy Digital Economy and Society Minister Nan Boonthida Somchai visited Mukdahan Hospital to offer moral support to the injured monks and other victims while monitoring the progress of medical treatment and assistance for those affected.
The day before, Deputy Interior Minister Jeseth Thaiseth visited both the crash site and Mukdahan Hospital to encourage the injured monks and other victims. He instructed all relevant agencies to coordinate medical care, compensation and assistance for those affected, including support for the families of the deceased.
Pol Maj Gen Phairoj Thaiphutsa, commander of Mukdahan Provincial Police, said investigators had questioned the boy's mother to establish a detailed timeline covering a 12-kilometre route from the time the vehicle left home until it reached the crash site.
Police were also reviewing CCTV footage as part of the investigation. However, the boy has not yet been questioned due to remaining under close medical supervision, the provincial police chief said.
