According to Buddhism, Phrets are creatures that suffer as a result  of their bad deeds in their previous lives. They are generally portrayed as extremely thin and tall; their mouths are as small as a pinhole and they are alwayshungry, as they cannot find enough food to feed them.  They don't have any clothing on their bodies; give out exceedingly bad smell and are always moaning loudly out of intense pain and suffering. Anyone who does one of the following misdeeds will be born as a phret in his or her next life: corruption as a public official, saying bad things to a monk, burning forests causing animals to die, and others.