A video from Thailand showing a Buddhist monk slapping a man in the face has gone viral on social media.
Witnesses say the man had been slapped repeatedly before the camera started recording.
The incident occurred on December 7 during a train ride between Bangkok and Phitsanulok. The victim of the assault was Jeff, a Westerner teaching English in Thailand.
Train passenger Pui Pupriew reported that two women asked Jeff if he could vacate his seat so that the women would not have to sit next to the monk. Buddhist monks are prohibited from having physical contact with females.
Jeff gave up his seat and sat next to the monk, who some sources report as having been asleep. Upon awakening, the monk became irate, and Jeff asked if he could sit next to him. There is also reserved seating on public transportation in Thailand for monks.
The miscommunication between Jeff and the monk increased as the teacher tried to diffuse the situation. "I don't understand you. What are you talking about?" the monk replied in Thai.
Pupriew said that Jeff responded in English, saying "Fine, fine," which was misinterpreted as "kwai" or "buffalo" in the Thai language.
The monk stood up, accused Jeff of insulting him, and slapped him in the face. The expatriate attempted to explain, but was slapped two more times.
Footage shows Jeff holding the side of his reddened face, as the monk glares at him. A train official intervened, and the monk walked to the adjacent train car.
Despite being assaulted, Jeff said he holds no negative feelings.
"I love Thailand very much ... Many people supported me over the Internet. I appreciate it. Everything is OK," he said in a home video. "To me sabai, sabai," he said, meaning "fine."
"Thailand is Thailand, I love living in Thailand," he insisted.
