What just stuns me are the reactions of the people around her. Here's some cowardly guy that sucker-punches a woman right in the face, and everyone around her just stands straight up like a flagpole and do nothing.
People should have grabbed that man-child by the throat and have him kiss concrete. I'm hoping someone did that after the video cut-off.
Well I hope you have deep pockets. She got $1500 for the face punch. What would he get from you on a "concrete kiss"?
What does her gender matter? She accepted the apology, wanted no legal action and collected $1500.
This 'system' of buying off people with money so that criminal charges can be dropped (for a donation to the police fund) is part of a major problem with corruption in Thailand. The lack in belief in the justice system is reinforced and this causes people to accept being bought off because they might as well get something out of it. The more money you have, the more above the law you are. In Canada, charges are laid by the police and are not dependent on the victim as there is a public good from enforcing the law. Yes, the victim can give an impact statement for or against, and they could not co-operate with the investigation but it is moot when you have the evidence in the prosecutors hand already to convict without co-operation.
What just stuns me are the reactions of the people around her. Here's some cowardly guy that sucker-punches a woman right in the face, and everyone around her just stands straight up like a flagpole and do nothing.
People should have grabbed that man-child by the throat and have him kiss concrete. I'm hoping someone did that after the video cut-off.
What does her gender matter? She accepted the apology, wanted no legal action and collected $1500.
You’re joking right?
a man punching a woman is no different than if he hit a man?
It’s dirt low. Regardless of the era we live in which people can say they are whatever they want regardless of the biological facts, and expect the rest of the world to comply, it remains that women are far different from men physically and emotionally.
Its sad that some may think this is no different than bob punching joe in a scuffle.
This is is a man physically assaulting a woman. They’re built different inside and out and this man has lost all honor in assaulting her. His major concern was that she didn’t want to take legal action after he paid her off.
The guy guy gave it all he had. She was shattered.
Its time men remembered what what they are and acted with the responsibility that comes with it. Open them car and building doors, offer to carry the heavy bags, step in when a woman is being assaulted. Husbands love your wives and be faithful. And for crying out loud... DONT punch her in the face!
What just stuns me are the reactions of the people around her. Here's some cowardly guy that sucker-punches a woman right in the face, and everyone around her just stands straight up like a flagpole and do nothing.
People should have grabbed that man-child by the throat and have him kiss concrete. I'm hoping someone did that after the video cut-off.
Thais are normally pretty good at tackling those situations to be fair. I've seen justice served pretty quick in my travels in thailand.
Haven’t you ever been irritated by sales folks who refuse to acknowledge something obvious to avoid having to replace an item?
Yes, but that does not mean that you resort to violence. Apple has customer service lines where you can talk directly with Apple -- and raise the issue that one of their authorized dealers is not living up to the standards -- if it truly is a defective phone.
FYI: Understand that for most 'common' Thais this is a very expensive computer (but very popular) computer - much more of their disposable income would go to buying the device. [There are also a large number of really wealthy Thais - it is not uncommon that I see a Thai withdrawing a wad of cash 5 or 6 inches in depth in 1000 baht notes (about $35 USD bill equivalent) for something or other]
What just stuns me are the reactions of the people around her. Here's some cowardly guy that sucker-punches a woman right in the face, and everyone around her just stands straight up like a flagpole and do nothing.
People should have grabbed that man-child by the throat and have him kiss concrete. I'm hoping someone did that after the video cut-off.
What does her gender matter? She accepted the apology, wanted no legal action and collected $1500.
You’re joking right?
a man punching a woman is no different than if he hit a man?
It’s dirt low. Regardless of the era we live in which people can say they are whatever they want regardless of the biological facts, and expect the rest of the world to comply, it remains that women are far different from men physically and emotionally.
Its sad that some may think this is no different than bob punching joe in a scuffle.
This is is a man physically assaulting a woman. They’re built different inside and out and this man has lost all honor in assaulting her. His major concern was that she didn’t want to take legal action after he paid her off.
The guy guy gave it all he had. She was shattered.
Its time men remembered what what they are and acted with the responsibility that comes with it. Open them car and building doors, offer to carry the heavy bags, step in when a woman is being assaulted. Husbands love your wives and be faithful. And for crying out loud... DONT punch her in the face!
Here's an idea you might not have heard before: just treat women like people.
What just stuns me are the reactions of the people around her. Here's some cowardly guy that sucker-punches a woman right in the face, and everyone around her just stands straight up like a flagpole and do nothing.
People should have grabbed that man-child by the throat and have him kiss concrete. I'm hoping someone did that after the video cut-off.
What does her gender matter? She accepted the apology, wanted no legal action and collected $1500.
You’re joking right?
a man punching a woman is no different than if he hit a man?
It’s dirt low. Regardless of the era we live in which people can say they are whatever they want regardless of the biological facts, and expect the rest of the world to comply, it remains that women are far different from men physically and emotionally.
Its sad that some may think this is no different than bob punching joe in a scuffle.
This is is a man physically assaulting a woman. They’re built different inside and out and this man has lost all honor in assaulting her. His major concern was that she didn’t want to take legal action after he paid her off.
The guy guy gave it all he had. She was shattered.
Its time men remembered what what they are and acted with the responsibility that comes with it. Open them car and building doors, offer to carry the heavy bags, step in when a woman is being assaulted. Husbands love your wives and be faithful. And for crying out loud... DONT punch her in the face!
Here's an idea you might not have heard before: just treat women like people.
this was not necessarily a sexist attack, he may have punched a male shop assistant too. Maybe he is equal opportunities when punching Apple sales staff?
Lots of opinions being stated by people who have never been to Thailand, let alone lived there. In the two years I was here, I've seen my share of the incidents.
First, I'd like to point out that I highly doubt the man in the video was fined $1,500. The sad and scary part is that physical altercations are typically fined at 500 baht (about $15 equivalent) by the police in Thailand. Maybe 1,500 Thai baht I can believe. If the man was in fact forced to pay $1,500, I'm pretty sure the woman will never see that money.
Second, I don't understand why so many people make this about gender. He punched a woman. Would it have been any less wrong to punch a man? - No. Last I heard, women were all about equality. So, it shouldn't matter who he punched. Punching a woman doesn't make this any more special or wrong than punching a man. Both should carry the same consequences.
Third, although Thailand is a beautiful country, it has its share of problems. Thailand has many laws in place, but they are hardly ever enforced. Thai people are generally very friendly and easy going. They avoid most public altercations and it takes a lot to tick them of. However, Thailand is not immune to these sorts of issues. They happen occasionally, but are hardly ever reported, unless they're caught on video and escalated by social media. If you cross a street on a green arrow at a pedestrian crossing and get hit by a car, you're most likely out of luck, as it will be your fault for not watching oncoming traffic, despite arguing that the oncoming traffic had a red light and that the drivers should have stopped. This won't matter, as the majority of Thai drivers don't stop at red lights. In fact, they rarely follow any rules of the road, especially in major cities like Bangkok. If you're a foreigner, you're always at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the authorities. If you get involved in any sort of a dispute with a local, physical or not, you're automatically at fault. It does not matter who started or who was wrong. Everyone around you will speak Thai and you'll never know what's going on, until you get escorted to a police station and are forced to pay a hefty fine (as a foreigner, your fine will always be higher; about 5-10x as much as a local). If this incident occurred in the US, it's quite obvious the attacker would receive some type of jail sentence and get sued to no end. In Thailand, that's not the case, unfortunately. The police made him pay a small fine and apologize. That's about as far as they'll take it.
The best advice I can give to anyone going to Thailand or thinking about living there is to avoid all types of altercations, at all cost. Even when you're not wrong, assume that you are. Learn to let things go. Don't complain over small stuff because it will usually go unnoticed. As a matter of fact, this may only aggravate the wrong type of person. It's not US, where you can complain to the manager and get your way. Usually, in Thailand, nobody cares that your service sucked. Best thing you can do is not come back. This applies to stores, restaurants, gov agencies, and virtually any type of service being offered.
One of the most disturbing things about Thailand and Asia in general is that anytime there's an incident unfolding, no matter how vicious (e.g. man punching a woman, even repeatedly), you'll see that 99% of the time nobody will intervene. And I mean NOBODY. People will walk by, film it, and just let it happen. One night, I saw a Thai woman twist her ankle and fall down on the sidewalk. She was laying there for several minutes. At least 20 Thais walked by and nobody offered to help her, even though it was quite obvious what happened and that she was in pain. Disturbing, to say the least. A group of foreigners eventually helped her up.
My goal is not to discourage anyone from coming to Thailand. It's still a wonderful place with lots of potential. In fact, I'm thinking of staying here for good. I just want people to be aware of how things are and to know their place, especially as a foreigner.
First, I'd like to point out that I highly doubt the man in the video was fined $1,500. The sad and scary part is that physical altercations are typically fined at 500 baht (about $15 equivalent) by the police in Thailand. Maybe 1,500 Thai baht I can believe. If the man was in fact forced to pay $1,500, I'm pretty sure the woman will never see that money.
It is usually money enough to pay off the victim of the crime so they don't complain when charges are dropped (usually a rather small amount - 3 times that amount specified above would probably be enough to pay blood money on negligent death), which then clears the way for police to take a contribution to police fund to drop any criminal charges (since you are feeding many mouths with this police contribution - it will be higher).
Yes, Thailand is generally a wonderful country and the people (outside of tourist areas especially) are great people... but there is an acceptance that for many they are helpless in situations against those with money due to the endemic corruption (as we would see it in the west). The loss of face can cause unexpected and explosive interactions. Also, understand that there is still a level of xenophobia (even with a large number of foreigners) where if you are in an argument or conflict with a Thai you will always be assumed to be in the wrong by other Thais.
Even with these issues, Thailand is one of the best places to live... and also a fairly cheap place if you can live more like a Thai (i.e. local not foreign food, not going out barhopping in foreign-oriented bars etc.). You can live the way you do in the west (at a cost), you can live a 5-star lifestyle if that is what you want, and you can live very frugally -- fairly comfortably. It basically takes me 4 days of billable work to maintain my lifestyle (If I lived in the Bangkok CBD and wanted to eat out western food all the time -- it would be considerably higher).
First, I'd like to point out that I highly doubt the man in the video was fined $1,500. The sad and scary part is that physical altercations are typically fined at 500 baht (about $15 equivalent) by the police in Thailand. Maybe 1,500 Thai baht I can believe. If the man was in fact forced to pay $1,500, I'm pretty sure the woman will never see that money.
It is usually money enough to pay off the victim of the crime so they don't complain when charges are dropped (usually a rather small amount - 3 times that amount specified above would probably be enough to pay blood money on negligent death), which then clears the way for police to take a contribution to police fund to drop any criminal charges (since you are feeding many mouths with this police contribution - it will be higher).
Yes, Thailand is generally a wonderful country and the people (outside of tourist areas especially) are great people... but there is an acceptance that for many they are helpless in situations against those with money due to the endemic corruption (as we would see it in the west). The loss of face can cause unexpected and explosive interactions. Also, understand that there is still a level of xenophobia (even with a large number of foreigners) where if you are in an argument or conflict with a Thai you will always be assumed to be in the wrong by other Thais.
Even with these issues, Thailand is one of the best places to live... and also a fairly cheap place if you can live more like a Thai (i.e. local not foreign food, not going out barhopping in foreign-oriented bars etc.). You can live the way you do in the west (at a cost), you can live a 5-star lifestyle if that is what you want, and you can live very frugally -- fairly comfortably. It basically takes me 4 days of billable work to maintain my lifestyle (If I lived in the Bangkok CBD and wanted to eat out western food all the time -- it would be considerably higher).
Comments
a man punching a woman is no different than if he hit a man?
It’s dirt low. Regardless of the era we live in which people can say they are whatever they want regardless of the biological facts, and expect the rest of the world to comply, it remains that women are far different from men physically and emotionally.
Its sad that some may think this is no different than bob punching joe in a scuffle.
This is is a man physically assaulting a woman. They’re built different inside and out and this man has lost all honor in assaulting her. His major concern was that she didn’t want to take legal action after he paid her off.
The guy guy gave it all he had. She was shattered.
Its time men remembered what what they are and acted with the responsibility that comes with it. Open them car and building doors, offer to carry the heavy bags, step in when a woman is being assaulted. Husbands love your wives and be faithful. And for crying out loud... DONT punch her in the face!
FYI: Understand that for most 'common' Thais this is a very expensive computer (but very popular) computer - much more of their disposable income would go to buying the device. [There are also a large number of really wealthy Thais - it is not uncommon that I see a Thai withdrawing a wad of cash 5 or 6 inches in depth in 1000 baht notes (about $35 USD bill equivalent) for something or other]
First, I'd like to point out that I highly doubt the man in the video was fined $1,500. The sad and scary part is that physical altercations are typically fined at 500 baht (about $15 equivalent) by the police in Thailand. Maybe 1,500 Thai baht I can believe. If the man was in fact forced to pay $1,500, I'm pretty sure the woman will never see that money.
Second, I don't understand why so many people make this about gender. He punched a woman. Would it have been any less wrong to punch a man? - No. Last I heard, women were all about equality. So, it shouldn't matter who he punched. Punching a woman doesn't make this any more special or wrong than punching a man. Both should carry the same consequences.
Third, although Thailand is a beautiful country, it has its share of problems. Thailand has many laws in place, but they are hardly ever enforced. Thai people are generally very friendly and easy going. They avoid most public altercations and it takes a lot to tick them of. However, Thailand is not immune to these sorts of issues. They happen occasionally, but are hardly ever reported, unless they're caught on video and escalated by social media. If you cross a street on a green arrow at a pedestrian crossing and get hit by a car, you're most likely out of luck, as it will be your fault for not watching oncoming traffic, despite arguing that the oncoming traffic had a red light and that the drivers should have stopped. This won't matter, as the majority of Thai drivers don't stop at red lights. In fact, they rarely follow any rules of the road, especially in major cities like Bangkok. If you're a foreigner, you're always at a disadvantage when it comes to dealing with the authorities. If you get involved in any sort of a dispute with a local, physical or not, you're automatically at fault. It does not matter who started or who was wrong. Everyone around you will speak Thai and you'll never know what's going on, until you get escorted to a police station and are forced to pay a hefty fine (as a foreigner, your fine will always be higher; about 5-10x as much as a local). If this incident occurred in the US, it's quite obvious the attacker would receive some type of jail sentence and get sued to no end. In Thailand, that's not the case, unfortunately. The police made him pay a small fine and apologize. That's about as far as they'll take it.
The best advice I can give to anyone going to Thailand or thinking about living there is to avoid all types of altercations, at all cost. Even when you're not wrong, assume that you are. Learn to let things go. Don't complain over small stuff because it will usually go unnoticed. As a matter of fact, this may only aggravate the wrong type of person. It's not US, where you can complain to the manager and get your way. Usually, in Thailand, nobody cares that your service sucked. Best thing you can do is not come back. This applies to stores, restaurants, gov agencies, and virtually any type of service being offered.
One of the most disturbing things about Thailand and Asia in general is that anytime there's an incident unfolding, no matter how vicious (e.g. man punching a woman, even repeatedly), you'll see that 99% of the time nobody will intervene. And I mean NOBODY. People will walk by, film it, and just let it happen. One night, I saw a Thai woman twist her ankle and fall down on the sidewalk. She was laying there for several minutes. At least 20 Thais walked by and nobody offered to help her, even though it was quite obvious what happened and that she was in pain. Disturbing, to say the least. A group of foreigners eventually helped her up.
My goal is not to discourage anyone from coming to Thailand. It's still a wonderful place with lots of potential. In fact, I'm thinking of staying here for good. I just want people to be aware of how things are and to know their place, especially as a foreigner.
Yes, Thailand is generally a wonderful country and the people (outside of tourist areas especially) are great people... but there is an acceptance that for many they are helpless in situations against those with money due to the endemic corruption (as we would see it in the west). The loss of face can cause unexpected and explosive interactions. Also, understand that there is still a level of xenophobia (even with a large number of foreigners) where if you are in an argument or conflict with a Thai you will always be assumed to be in the wrong by other Thais.
Even with these issues, Thailand is one of the best places to live... and also a fairly cheap place if you can live more like a Thai (i.e. local not foreign food, not going out barhopping in foreign-oriented bars etc.). You can live the way you do in the west (at a cost), you can live a 5-star lifestyle if that is what you want, and you can live very frugally -- fairly comfortably. It basically takes me 4 days of billable work to maintain my lifestyle (If I lived in the Bangkok CBD and wanted to eat out western food all the time -- it would be considerably higher).