A veteran nurse in Thailand has been widely praised after setting aside long-standing Buddhist customs to provide emergency medical care to victims of a tragic road accident that claimed the lives of 10 monks.
The deadly crash occurred on Thursday in northeastern Thailand when an 11-year-old boy allegedly drove off in his parents’ pickup truck without permission and rammed into a religious procession comprising 35 monks and five lay followers.
Moments after the collision, nurse Wiwat Laonoi rushed to the scene and immediately began treating the injured despite a traditional Buddhist belief that discourages physical contact between women and monks.
Recalling the incident, she said, “People told me, ‘Wait, that’s a monk!’, but I said it doesn’t matter, right now, this is a patient. ”Wiwat, who has spent nearly 40 years in the nursing profession, said she was the first emergency responder to arrive at what she described as a catastrophic accident.
She explained that the scale of the tragedy was unlike anything she had witnessed throughout her career. I“No other responders (had) arrived yet, it was just me,” the 61-year-old said, adding that she “had to stay clear-headed.”
Acting quickly, she assessed the victims one after another, checking for vital signs, administering cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and coordinating with medical personnel at the nearby hospital while ensuring as many injured people as possible received immediate attention.
Five monks were confirmed dead at the scene of the accident, while another five later died after being taken to hospital. As of Friday, 10 other victims remained hospitalized, including two who were in critical condition and eight others receiving treatment for injuries that were not considered life-threatening.
Wiwat was travelling alongside fellow hospital employee Parichat Kochakueng when the tragedy unfolded.Parichat recorded footage of the rescue efforts as Wiwat worked tirelessly to assist the victims.
Describing the aftermath, Parichat said, “It looked really scary, a lot of monks laying on the road.” Wiwat, who hails from Mukdahan Province where the accident occurred, said she intends to continue offering voluntary medical assistance in underserved communities after retiring from active service in September.
Reflecting on the experience, she said, “As a Thai, as a nurse, I’m very proud, I got to use what I know to help my fellow human beings.”
