The scars run deep among the children of Thailand's forgotten war
Eight years of conflict in Thailand's deep south leaves its marks on those most vulnerable, with many showing high levels of stress and trauma
Mentally scarred and afraid to set foot outside his home in Thailand's deep south, Ahmad is one of thousands of children orphaned by a war largely forgotten by the rest of the world.
"When I do go out I stay near my home … I never go far away," Ahmad, 12, said as he chewed timidly on the collar of his football shirt.
His 15-year-old sister Sunnah said their father's murder by unknown gunmen six years ago marked the end of her childhood and left the siblings without parents following the death of their mother in an accident. They now live with an aunt. Their names have been changed in this report to protect their identity.
"I don't feel safe, especially with strangers," she said. "I suspect people when they look at me. The soldiers are the worst."
Anger, introversion and fear are common symptoms of depression or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), said government mental health expert Pechdau Tohmeena, explaining children are bearing the brunt of the eight-year conflict.