Over 1,300 Flee Into Thailand as Fighting Erupts on Myanmar Border

Around 1,300 people have fled into Thailand from eastern Myanmar as fresh fighting erupted at a border town that was recently captured by ethnic Karen guerilla forces, Thai officials said Saturday.

The exodus came after fighters from the Karen National Union (KNU) launched attacks on Myanmar troops taking shelter near the Thai-Myanmar Friendship Bridge in Myawaddy town. The bridge is a major trade crossing into Thailand.

"The clashes were triggered in the morning when the Karen guerillas attacked Myanmar troops who were hiding near the bridge," said Pittayakorn Phetcharat, police chief in Thailand's Mae Sot district across the border.

He estimated around 1,300 civilians had fled the renewed battles into Thailand by Saturday. Thai authorities were moving those displaced to safer areas inland.

The fall of Myawaddy to the KNU rebels last week marked a major setback for Myanmar's military, which has suffered a string of losses to both ethnic armed groups and pro-democracy militias since seizing power in a 2021 coup.

Footage from the Thai border town showed Thai soldiers guarding the bridge amid the sound of explosions and gunfire. Civilians, including children, were seen wading across the Moei river that separates the two countries, carrying belongings to seek refuge.

While the clashes had subsided by noon Saturday, sporadic gunshots could still be heard, officials said. The KNU rebels were reported using drone strikes against Myanmar's military, which responded with airstrikes.

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin said he was closely monitoring the border situation to protect territorial integrity and provide humanitarian aid if needed. In March, Thailand delivered assistance for around 20,000 displaced people in Myanmar.

The fighting has raised concerns about potential spillover impacts on Thai soil. However, a Thai foreign ministry spokesman said plans were underway to expand humanitarian aid efforts for those fleeing the escalating conflict.

The Karen insurgents have been fighting for greater autonomy for decades, with their latest offensive inflicting rare defeats on Myanmar's military in border regions. International observers warn the turmoil shows no signs of abating following the military's widely-condemned power grab.