Prasong Wichuma, known to his friends as Job, was the victim of an attack involving expletive-laden slurs and a set of crutches used as weapons.
He has responded with radical kindness.
A video shared online shows a 69-year-old Teneriffe man attacking Job and three other hobby fishermen, who all remained calm as the man swore and hit them.
"Horrified and embarrassed" to hear about the attack, Louisa Relia and other concerned locals who were "heartbroken" to see such hatred, banded together to support the victims and offer their sympathies.
"I was just really emotional," Ms Relia – whose partner is an Italian migrant that has been the target of racial abuse – recalls of first seeing the video, which was filmed on Anzac Day.
"I thought 'let's not respond with more of the same' … you can't fight fire with fire."
Job was presented with a sweet candle and large basket of unique tropical fruit, which Ms Relia says shows the close relationship between our two tropical homes, Queensland and Thailand.
Ms Relia has undertaken mindfulness training in California and said being radically kind is "a conscious effort" that's often unexpected.
She hopes to start deep listening council circles for those who need it in Brisbane, where participants can share their inner thoughts.
"Every living thing on earth just wants to be heard," she said.
The Korean victims are yet to be identified, but Ms Relia hopes to offer them fresh fruit and flowers if they are comfortable coming forward.
Job was happy to accept the gift basket and cards filled with kind words, a token of support from the community.
"It feels so good and I'm very grateful for the community," he said.
Job, who is also well-versed in mindfulness and meditation, extended the same radical kindness to his attacker.
"I want the family of the man to take care of him, look after him or [seek support] from a doctor because I don't want him to do this again," he said.
Attacked on Anzac Day
Job was visiting the Newstead House public pontoon, with a friend also from Thailand, about on Anzac Day evening where a Korean couple were also fishing.
A man unknown to them entered the pontoon around 8.30pm, with Job recalling hearing the click-clack of crutches approaching.
"I looked at him and felt worried because I [thought] he would have an accident and fall in the water," Job said.
"I heard him ask the Korean man 'what are you doing here?' and [the man] started hitting at his head with the crutches.
"I said, 'we are fishing' and he said 'no, you're not'."
Job quickly reeled in his rod and ran over to help, asking the man why he was attacking strangers. In a video, the attacker can be heard calling them "f***ing Chinese c***s".
"He tried to push me in the water," Job said.
A nearby boatie came to help, docking at the pontoon and telling the attacker "go home, you can't do that, it's embarrassing for our country".
Once the offender calmed down, he started to leave the pontoon but stopped short of the end and blocked the path while goading the fishermen to "come on, fight me".
Job said the man then started "to howl like a wolf", an experience the fisherman described as "so weird".
The police were called when the man refused to let anyone leave the pontoon – around 20 minutes later, officers arrived and transported him to Brisbane City Watchhouse where he was issued a $391 infringement notice for public nuisance (violent behaviour in other circumstances).
'Strange' encounter not the norm, says Job
While the encounter left Job feeling "angry", it isn't behaviour he's ever seen before in Brisbane.
The migrant has been here for six years and loves the city: "People are very friendly, very kind, I've never seen people [act] like this before – it's strange for me".
Job saw the country's famous sense of mateship through the worst of COVID-19, when his Aussie friends would make an effort to check up on his family.
Job is a trained in Muay Thai, but described himself as a calm person who "doesn't hit people outside the ring" thanks to Buddha's teachings and meditation.
"He was lucky it was me [there that night] because if it was another fighter, I think he would get it," Job laughed.
