A Thai court sentenced a singer dubbed Thailand's Michael Jackson to two years in prison on Wednesday for killing two people in a drunk driving crash. Manasawin Nantasen, 64, known by his stage name Tik Shiro, was driving his vehicle across a bridge in Bangkok in October 2024 when he struck a stationary motorbike.
Details of the Incident
The crash killed a 28-year-old woman who was on the motorbike and critically injured her 21-year-old brother, who was knocked off the bridge and later died in hospital, according to police. A viral video showed the singer kneeling in grief at the scene, drawing widespread attention in a country where influential figures are sometimes perceived as enjoying impunity.
The criminal court in Bangkok sentenced Manasawin to two years for "drunk driving resulting in loss of life." The court statement noted that "the defendant surrendered and provided testimony beneficial to the case." It added that Manasawin had shown remorse by attending the victims' funeral and paying compensation to their families, but ordered the revocation of his driver's license.
Career and Background
Manasawin rose to fame in the late 1980s and 1990s for his signature fedora hat, leather jackets, and slick dance moves, which earned him comparisons to global pop icon Michael Jackson. His stage name Tik Shiro became synonymous with Thai pop music during that era.
Other Celebrity Cases
In a separate case, rock musician Sek Loso was released from prison on Wednesday after serving just over a year for drugs and illegal firearm possession. However, many Thais believe that the rich and famous are not always held accountable. In 2012, the heir to the Red Bull fortune, Vorayuth Yoovidhya, was accused of plowing his Ferrari into a policeman in a wealthy Bangkok neighborhood, killing him on the spot. There was an investigation but he was never charged. A son of former Pheu Thai MP Chalerm Yubamrung allegedly shot a man dead in a crowded Bangkok nightclub after a dispute in 2001, but was later acquitted on grounds of weak evidence.
