A 61 year old pickup driver in Sisaket claims sun glare stopped him seeing a monk on his morning alms round before hitting the abbot of a local temple today, October 25.
Mueang Sisaket Police were alerted at about 6.30am to a pickup truck hitting a monk in front of Wat Phan Tha in Pho subdistrict, Mueang district. Officers and medical staff from Sisaket Hospital went to the scene.
They found the 60 year old abbot, Phra Athikan Kan Kantathammo, unconscious at the roadside, still holding his alms bowl. Rescuers gave him first aid before taking him to Sisaket Hospital with serious injuries.
A four-door Toyota pickup with Sisaket plates was parked nearby, with a cracked left headlight. The driver, Prawit (surname withheld), stayed at the scene to give information to police.
Prawit told police he had left home to buy medicine at a nearby convenience store. He said he swerved left to avoid an oncoming motorcycle, but the rising sun in the east shone into his eyes and he did not see the monk walking at the roadside.
Locals said Kan goes on his alms round near the temple every morning. They described him as a respected monk who has long helped develop the temple, and said they were shocked and worried when they heard about the accident.
Police photographed and documented the scene and will question Prawit in detail. They are gathering evidence to establish the cause of the accident before taking legal action. Kan remains under close medical care.
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The story Sisaket driver blames sun glare for hitting abbot as seen on Thaiger News.