'I won't die': Mother of monk, 41, who died during Thai car crash involving boy, 11, recalls his final words to her

Before leaving for the fatal pilgrimage in which a pickup truck drove through a row of monks, one of the monks reassured his mother that he would be safe.

The mum was speaking to local media about her heartbreak after losing her son in the accident.

The Jul. 2 accident involved an 11-year-old boy taking his parents' pickup truck without permission before losing control of the vehicle and ploughing through a procession of monks on a pilgrimage walk.

At least nine monks have died.

Became monk after surviving serious accident

According to Khaosod, Panja Chailert, 69, said that the death of her son, 41-year-old Phra Khamsing Chailert, has left he family struggling to cope.

Phra Khamsing was the youngest son in the family.

The family lives in Thailand's Khon Kaen province.

Panja said that before entering monkhood, Phra Khamsing had survived a serious accident.

His body and abilities never fully returned to normal.

Phra Khamsing later became close to a monk, Phra Yongyuth, who lived at the village temple.

Phra Khamsing himself became ordained in 2025.

He and Phra Yongyuth would often go on pilgrimage trips, but always returned safely.

"I won't die"

Before the latest trip, Phra Khamsing visited his mother and informed her about his intention to join another pilgrimage.

"I was worried, so I asked him, 'Can't you stay, my son?'" Panja said, according to Khaosod.

His reply was, "I won't die."

After learning about the crash, Panja was shocked and overwhelmed.

She asked her husband to call Phra Yongyuth, but they later learned that he had also been injured in the crash.

A nephew who travelled with the pilgrimage group later recounted to family the aftermath of the accident, and Panja believes that her son died at the scene, Khaosod wrote.