1st point above I acceot you are american and therefore do not understand British sarcastic humour, or maybe I'm the only one on my own little dodger planet humour and only I understand it???.
I'm not being naive, go back and read the inital post, this is where the information is kept not in the forever changed posts by persons trying to appear right. The guy asked him politely to stop 3 times and then pushed him, the Thai straight away hit him back, no pestering, no discussion or anything else is mentioned.
Paul you still haven't answered, cos I know what your answer would be, if any guy anywhere in the world pushed you aggresively, then you'd deck him, without a second thought, the Thai masseuse did the same. Yes he was working in a public environment, yes he should be trained better, but couldn't all of those things apply to you in some instances? yes you should be mature enough to know better, yes you shouldn't do this in front of.. whoever, but if a guy pushed you, one handed or two, no difference, tell me you'd walk away!!! well maybe you do not work in a public environment, but you could substitute that for any number of other places, oh and by the way so would Sefton and as said before none of us would bemoan you for doing it, guy pushes you he deserves a reaction.