The killing of four innocent men in Pattani's Thung Yang Daeng district has eroded their families' trust in security officers, family members say.
The image of soldiers, especially paramilitary officers, has plunged after they shot dead four innocent men in an anti-insurgency operation on March 25 in tambon Piten, they say.
They mistook the four victims for members of Runda Kumpulan Kecil (RKK) guerrilla group. A probe set up after the shootings cleared them of involvement in the group.
Villagers at Ban To Chut, especially the victims' aggrieved relatives, say they still feel unsafe and distrustful at a sight of soldiers.
Wali Wanu, father of victim Saddam, said the inquiry finding that his son was an innocent victim helped relieved his anger at his death.
However, every time he saw paramilitary officers enter his neighbourhood, his pain resurfaced.
"I am trying to control my feelings, but my wife could not hold back. She chases them out of the area," he said.
Teams of military rangers have returned to the village, on the order of their commanders, as part of efforts to help victims' relatives. Troops offered to do repairs on villagers' ageing houses, but the offer was denied.
The families find it hard to accept the friendly gesture, even though these officers come from different units.
The inquiry set up by the Internal Security Operations Command Region 4 implicated seven officers in the killing. Their names have been withheld.
According to earlier media reports, the officers are among a combined force of officers from the 41st Paramilitary Regiment and a police special operations unit.
They raided an unfinished house in Moo 6 of Ban To Chut on the evening of March 25 after hearing a separatist group was gathering there to plot violence.
The operation ended with the fatal shooting of Saddam, 23, Kholid Samaeng, 24, Madaree Maeroh, 23, all Fatoni Univesity students, and Suhaimee Seniae, 32, son of the deputy chairman of Piten Tambon Administration Organisation.
Parents of the victims were distressed to hear the military accusing them of being RKK members and claims they possessed weapons.
Suhaimee's father, Mahama, 60, said the loss of his son was hard to bear, but the accusations that he was a militant plunged him into anger.
Kholid's mother, Suraya, 46, said claims that her son was a militant clashed with her perception of Kholid as a good, determined student with polite behaviour.
Her son had planned to apply for a job as assistant district chief to develop his neighbourhood and help support the family.
If he was truly a militant he would not have wanted to join officaldom, she said.
"Since the killings I am exhausted and have no energy to work. I always think of Kholid," she said.
She and her neighbours still feel badly towards security officers. Some children have taken to hiding at home when troops enter the area, as they cannot bear the sight of men in uniform.
"It would be better if paramilitary rangers do not enter the village at this time," said Moo 6 village head Manasae Dokho.
"Their presence will only escalate the problem."
Meanwhile, authorities have released 21 suspects arrested during the March 25 operations. Only one suspect, the owner of the unfinished house, has been detained on a drug charge, Mr Manasae said.