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A Thai man was left sobbing on the roadside after accidentally running over and killing his own mother outside a temple in Udon Thani on the morning of 11 July
The incident took place near the entrance to Wat Pa Ban Tat, a Theravada Buddhist monastery in the Udon Thani Province of Thailand.
Local police, forensic officers from Udon Thani Hospital, and rescue personnel from the Udon Sawang Metta Tham Foundation responded to the scene after receiving an emergency call around 7am.
The victim, 75-year-old Pathum Sanguannam, was found lying by the roadside.
Her son, 47-year-old Nawi Sanguannam, was seen crying uncontrollably and blaming himself for what had happened.
His vehicle, an 11-seater SUV, had veered off the road and crashed into a tree after the collision, according to the Thai-language Manager Daily.
The woman had travelled with her children to Udon Thani as part of an eight-person family trip during the long Buddhist Lent weekend
That morning, they had planned to give alms and offer candles to monks as part of their religious observance, reported Sin Chew Daily.
According to the woman's daughter, they initially drove into the temple compound but found it too crowded. Nawi then decided to drop off her and their mother by the roadside while he went ahead to make a U-turn and return.
At the time, monks were already passing by to collect alms. Pathum had just offered alms to six monks before she was struck.
As Nawi returned in the vehicle, he is believed to have accidentally hit the accelerator, causing the SUV to lurch forward and hit his mother.
His sister, who was standing close by, managed to leap out of the way just in time.
Pathum was killed instantly. No one else was injured.
Nawi, overwhelmed with grief, later said that he wanted his mother to enjoy a peaceful holiday
"I never thought I would be the one to cause a tragedy like this… and now I have to bring her body home," he was quoted as saying.
Police said they have charged Nawi with reckless driving causing death
This is despite his family's decision not to press charges.
According to Sin Chew Daily, police are proceeding with legal action under Section 291 of the Thai Penal Code.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment, a fine of up to 200,000 baht (approximately RM26,000), or both upon conviction.
