22-year-old woman killed in hit-and-run; car found at temple linked to monk

BURIRAM — 28 October 2026, A 22-year-old woman has died after being struck by a speeding sedan while collecting rice drying beside a road in Buriram province. Her relative chased the car to a temple, where it was found abandoned, raising questions about whether a monk who regularly used the vehicle was behind the wheel.

The incident came to light when a video circulated online showing a man riding a motorcycle in pursuit of a grey sedan following the crash.

According to the victim’s 28-year-old cousin, Khwanchai Rueangphaisan, the collision occurred at around 17:00 in front of Wat Khok Charoen in Ban Yang subdistrict, Mueang district, Buriram. The victim, identified only as “Ji” to protect her privacy, had been collecting rice that had been spread out to dry along the roadside.

Khwanchai said the sedan approached at high speed and struck Ji with such force that she was thrown more than 10 metres. She suffered multiple leg fractures and was unconscious at the scene.

The driver allegedly failed to stop or provide assistance and fled. Khwanchai left another relative to look after the injured woman before pursuing the car by motorcycle, shouting for the driver to stop. However, the sedan continued along the road, passed the Thep Nakhon Hotel area and turned into a side street.

The car was eventually found parked inside a temple in Mueang district, about 10 kilometres from the crash site. The driver was nowhere to be found, and it was unclear how the person had left the temple.

Khwanchai and some local residents suspected the car was regularly driven by a monk at the temple, believed to be around 50 years old. However, they could not confirm whether he was driving at the time of the collision.

They said they later checked a monastic residence they believed might be connected to the driver. They reportedly found white liquor and dishes of food, including larb and koi, but did not find the monk. They called on authorities to investigate the driver’s identity and examine the available evidence to ensure a fair outcome.

The victim was taken to Buriram Hospital for treatment of her serious injuries but later died, according to her family.

Her aunt, 49-year-old Sanan Nokyothin, said she and Ji had spread rice along the roadside to dry earlier that morning. In the evening, they were gathering it into sacks when some rice spilled. Ji bent down to collect it just as the sedan approached and struck her.

Phra Weeraphan Panyasiri, another monk at the temple, confirmed that the car was used by a fellow monk. However, he said the monk could not be found after the incident and he did not know where he had gone.

Police have yet to establish who was driving the sedan when the fatal collision occurred. The suspected driver’s identity and the allegations involving the monk remain unconfirmed pending an official investigation.