Thai singer Tik Shiro charged with drink driving after fatal crash (video)
Police charged Thai singer Sirisak “Tik” Nantasane, also known as Tik Shiro, with drink driving after he crashed his van into a motorcycle, resulting in one fatality on October 10.
The victim, 28 year old Thai woman Thianporn “Meji” Siwapornpithak, lost her life, while her brother, Jakkaphat “Junior” Siwapornpithak, was seriously injured after the well-known singer Tik collided with their motorcycle on the Sukhapiban 5 Bridge at around 4am on October 10.
Meji, Junior, and another sibling, 24 year old Jinnipha Siwapornpithak, were travelling together on the motorcycle and stopped on the bridge to pick up a water bottle. Jinnipha went to retrieve the bottle while Meji and Junior remained on the motorcycle, which meant that Jinnipha escaped the accident unharmed.
Tik was seen apologising to the siblings’ parents following the incident. He was also admitted to hospital for a chest injury.
Many people defended Tik, arguing that the siblings should not stop on the dark bridge just to retrieve a water bottle. Others, however, pointed out that Tik may have been driving at an excessive speed, causing him to miss the motorcycle.
Police did not perform a breathalyser test at the scene, which led to public criticism. However, the police assured that the hospital conducted a blood alcohol test.
Today, on October 15, police released the results of the alcohol test, confirming that Tik had an alcohol level in his system exceeding the legal limit. Tik was temporarily released without bail, as he was not deemed a flight risk. In conclusion, Tik faces two charges including:
- Section 291 of the Criminal Code: committing a reckless act leading to the death of another person. The penalty is imprisonment of up to 10 years and a fine of up to 200,000 baht.
- Section 43(2) of the Land Transport Act: driving under the influence of alcohol. The penalty is up to one year’s imprisonment, a fine of 10,000 to 20,000 baht, or both.
Tik and his wife also visited the Phra Si Mahathat Wora Maha Viharn Temple yesterday, October 14, to attend Meji’s cremation.
Kannayao Police Station informed ThaiRath that they will summon both parties to the police station again to reach a compensation agreement.
ORIGINAL STORY: Tragic note: Thai singer hits motorcycle, 1 dead, 1 injured (video)
A Thai singer crashed his van into a motorcycle carrying three siblings on Sukhapiban 5 Road in Bangkok, resulting in one death and one severe injury.
Officers from Kannayao Police Station and rescuers from the Ruamkatanyu Foundation responded to the accident on the Sukhapiban 5 Bridge after being notified at around 4am today, October 10. They found a damaged Honda Click motorcycle on the bridge and the van, a black Hyundai, about 10 metres away.
The body of a 28 year old Thai woman named Meji was discovered on the bridge, while her brother, 21 year old Junior, was found on the road below. He fell off the bridge and suffered severe injuries. The two were travelling on the motorcycle with another sibling, 24 year old Jinnipha, who was unhurt.
Jinnipha told the police that she dropped her water bottle on the bridge, so she asked her brother, Junior, to stop the motorcycle so she could retrieve it. Junior parked the vehicle on the road shoulder on the right side and waited for her.
Unfortunately, a black van, travelling at high speed, crashed into the motorcycle with Junior and Meji still seated on it. Her older sister died instantly, while Junior fell from the bridge. He reportedly remains in critical condition at Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital.
Singer apologises
The driver of the van is the famous singer Sirisak “Tik” Nantasane, known as Tik Shiro. The 63 year old singer waited for the police at the scene and expressed his willingness to cooperate with the legal proceedings. He stated that he had been driving his whole life but had never experienced such a serious accident before.
The parents of the three siblings later arrived at the scene, both in deep grief. Tik rushed to apologise to the couple but the mother was angry and condemned Tik for driving at such a high speed. Tik knelt on the ground to apologise to the parents and the victims.
The police then took Tik to the police station for an alcohol test. The results of the test have not yet been made public.
Many netizens expressed condolences to the family, and a lot of them sympathised with the singer, suggesting that he might not have been able to see them on the dark bridge.
The others criticised the three siblings for violating traffic laws by travelling together on one motorcycle and stopping in a dangerous spot. The parents also faced criticism for solely blaming the singer, despite their children’s breach of traffic laws.
