Thailand's 'Michael Jackson' kneels in apology over fatal traffic crash

A Thai pop star dubbed the country's Michael Jackson knelt in apology over a traffic accident that killed a woman and critically injured her brother.

Sirisak Nuntasane, 63, known by his stage name 'Tik Shiro', reportedly slammed his van into a stationary motorcycle carrying three siblings along a bridge in Bangkok, Thailand, early morning on October 10.

The impact killed Thianporn Siwapornpitak, 28, and sent her brother Jakaphak, 21, plunging 33ft down the bridge. He was rushed to the Bhumibol Adulyadej Hospital with severe injuries.

Their sister Jinnipha, 24, was unscathed after stepping off the bike before the crash.

Sirisak waited at the scene to surrender to the police. Footage shows the high-profile celebrity on his knees bowing down in front of the media and grieving relatives. Nearby was the wreckage of his black Hyundai van and the trio's Honda Click motorcycle.

He reportedly said: 'Throughout my life, I never imagined committing such an incident.'

Jinnipha said she had been riding home with her siblings when she asked Jakaphak to stop so she could retrieve a water bottle she had dropped.

The young man stopped on the lane but was allegedly struck by Sirisak's speeding van.

Police Captain Parinya Jirandorn of Khan Na Yao District Police said: 'The victim's body was taken to the Institute of Forensic Medicine for a post-mortem. We are investigating if the suspect was driving under the influence of alcohol.'

Sirisak was also taken to a hospital for chest pains.

The fedora-wearing singer rose to fame in the 1990s and was dubbed 'Thailand's Michael Jackson' for mimicking the superstar's singing style and dance moves.

Thailand has one of the world's worst road safety records. Ministers have set the goal of reducing fatalities from 32.7 deaths per 100,000 people to 12 per 100,000 people by the year 2027.

However, a lack of road safety education in schools along with notoriously easy driving tests, police failures to enforce road laws, and chronic under-investment in infrastructure, all appear to hamper the efforts.