I have already agreed with all this Sef, I know you also understand it. The guy is not on the pay role, nor is being paid a reasonable wage to offer toilet massages. As everyone has said already, they say no to these guys and the guys still carry on, this is normal, cos most times the customer then lets them and gives them a tip and leaves. However a firmer no and they back off, I've never experienced anything different in all the times this has ever been done to me anywhere in Thailand.
Neither of us were there, however this guy then aggresively pushes the massage man, this is the catalyst that then went on to a physical reaction of a punch being thrown, which lost him his job.
I feel fairly certain that Paul or you being aggresively pushed would result in the same reaction most times. Even though you both know better than resorting to physical violence, but there is a line that has been crossed and coupled with certain circumstances, the reaction would be understood by us all.
This reaction I believe would be made by any male from any country, it is not a Thai vs Farang thing, however adding that blend to the mix, makes it more likely in my opinion.
Ages ago in the Beer Garden a large Aussie guy slapped a much smaller, older, meeker Aussie guy round the head during a heated discussion. The meek guy was too scared? too feeble? to mature? to respond so just sat there, so the big guy did it several more times. Afterwards, I must have been asked by half a dozen different Thai people, girls, guys etc, 'why man get slapped and not hit back?? they were absolutely incredulous. I tried to explain and they just could not understand, they all said 'no Thai person can be slapped or pushed or hit without having to hit back, no matter how big the other person is', I was more intrigued with the look of utter disbelief on their faces.
Since that time I have watched this many times, children, men and women, I even see it being almost taught in the school playground almost daily. I see shouting matches, gesticulations and heated body movements, that then just fizzle away, but anyone making a physical move gets one straight back.
Certainly a person in a public environment should know better, but thats where we will never fully know. Professional training, no way is this given. It might have been the first such incidence for this guy, or it might be he does it every night, again I don't know. I'm just generalising and say again, a physical action usually causes a physical reaction.
Surely the customer could simply have said no and gently moved his hand away, or taken his hand off non aggressively? then no problem and no further incident, end of.