"I would like to urge the superiors of these officials to stop doing so unless the government has proper measures to provide safety for the villagers," he said.

If the situation is not improved the temple would continue sheltering the villagers, he added.

Jaran Kriangsriprom, a Buddhist who had sought refuge, said government officials had given unconvincing information about situation in his village. "They lied as they told us our villages are safe, but a few of us returned to inspect the area and soldiers there admitted it was not safe at all," he said.

Even officials there feared for their safety. No villager dared to return, he added.

Officials don't care about the well-being of Buddhist villagers, they only care about their image and don't want to see internal migration, he said.

Officials could not cover up the situation in Than To and Bannang Sata as every villager knows that the threat of violence was all too real, said another villager Thongchai Eamniran.

The Nation