For the economic impact, as instability has increased , thousands of muslim families have left the afflicted provinces. creating a pitential for social problems and ethnic tensions in other regions with predominantly buddhist populations. the influx of large numbers of internal refugees. generally in provinces closer to Bangkok , has inflated house prices and led to more competition for low-cost employ ment. Moreover. most of those who fled the south are from the educated miadle classes. depriving the southern provinces of a vital constituency required to overcome the soclal resentments that feed separtist recruitment.