A group of 35 monks and five lay followers were walking along a roadside in northeastern Mukdahan province during a pilgrimage when the incident occurred.
"I saw a boy driving a pickup truck, approaching. At that moment I was chanting 'Buddho, Buddho' (a meditation mantra)," one monk, identified as Phra Sompong, said in a video posted online by local rescue workers.
"Then suddenly the truck hit at full speed and crashed us," he said.
"Luckily another monk and I managed to jump out of the way in time," he added.
"The first nine monks in line survived. But others who were hit were thrown into the air."
