The Sakai are a minority ethnic group in southern Thailand, residing in groups in the rainforests and in mountain ranges in Trang, Phathalung, Satun, Yala, and Narathiwat Provinces. Their lifestyle, livelihood, food gathering, shelters, beliefs and rituals, spoken language, and maintenance of their identity and wisdom are similar to ancient people. Some groups have still maintained their nomadic lifestyle, while others have settled permanently. There has been more intermarriages to local people. Some have adapted their lifestyle to assimilate with the mainstream culture, such as dress, using southern Thai dialect, being employees, growing vegetables instead of gathering from the forest, and eating rice as their mainstay instead of roots. Nevertheless, some have had difficulties adapting themselves to certain aspects of the mainstream culture, such as wearing shoes. Furthermore, they have been unfairly exploited; used as a tool for exploitation by certain groups of people who have wanted to destroy natural resources. This is largely due to their being illiterate and negative values of certain outsiders who have disrespected the basic human rights of the Sakai people.