Saw something disturbing today.

I went to my neighborhood market to get my favorite pad thai and saw the woman who cooks from the cart get hit by what appears to have been her husband - in public. I had noticed him on several occasions as I have been there repeatedly in the last couple weeks. He always shyed away from me and hid in the back of the kitchen and occasionally would peek around the corner and smile at me. He is a small man about 30 years old at the most and honestly I thought he was flirting with me and just terribly shy.

But today was different. I always sit at one of the tables outside the restaurant near the stand where she cooks so that I can watch her as I still find it fascinating. I ordered my lunch and after waiting only about two minutes, he suddenly appeared out of nowhere and came up to her and yelled and proceeded to smack her in the face repeatedly. She did not attempt to fight back. She simply closed herself up and got backed into a corner. I rose from my chair and was about to get involved when an older man from the street shouted something at him and split them up. Both men proceeded to walk away as if not much had happened. She immediately returned to cooking with tears in her eyes. Every time I had been there before she would always smile and when I would pat my stomach with satisfaction we would both smile. After this man hit her, she never looked me in the eye.

There is another woman who works with her and when the girl was being hit, she backed away and refused to get involved. When it was over, she looked at me and shrugged. There was another woman in her fifties buying something to go when this happened and she gave him the look of death and then went on her way. No one comforted the girl.

I sat there and ate me lunch angry and heartbroken. He kept walking by me as he was setting up other tables preparing for the rush and I so desperately wanted to do something. But I didn't. I did not have my passport on me because the office where I work is using it for my work permit application and there are police all over this area and I figured the last thing I needed to do was get involved in an altercation without my passport on me.

What shocked me most was people's reaction to it. I seemed the only one horrified. I think it is dangerous to make assumptions about Thai people with this one incident, but I couldn't help being deeply saddened by the apparent lack of outrage and concern for the young woman's well being.

I must point out though, I do not know their relationship. It could be her brother, cousin, boyfriend or boss-I don't know. Not that it much matters.

One thing I know for sure, it appears he is the owner of this place and today will be my last visit.

This is a picture of her.
God Bless her and keep her safe.