At least three civilians died in a clash between rebel troops and government soldiers in a town in eastern Burma on Monday, a day after rare elections, an official in the military-ruled country said.
Eleven more people were injured when heavy weapons fire from ethnic rebels hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, said the official, who did not want to be named.
Burma's military political proxies on Monday looked poised to claim victory in an election condemned by the West as a farce but which could finally give pro-democracy parties a voice in parliament.
But late on Monday afternoon local time, reports emerged of violence in the east of the country, causing hundreds to flee over the border.
Heavy weapons fire from ethnic rebels hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, leaving two people injured, a Myanmar government source said, adding that the army had not immediately fought back.
A Thai military official on the border, who did not want to be named, said one rocket propelled grenade landed on the Thai side in Mae Sot, injuring three men and two women, AFP reported.
"The gunfire has subsided but the military operation is still ongoing in the surrounding areas of Myawaddy," the official said.
Mae Sot district chief Kittisak Tomornsak said about 1,000 people had fled across the border from Myanmar, while Thailand closed its border checkpoint in the town and evacuated people from along the river in the area.
Myanmar's own checkpoint on the other side of the river has been shut for several months, although many migrants cross the porous border illegally.
Zipporah Sein, Thailand-based general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), said skirmishes broke out between up to 300 Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) soldiers and the government army.
"We don't know definitely but I think last night the army sent over more troops, they negotiated and the DKBA retreated but this morning they were blocked by army trucks and then it started," she said.
She said the fighting was currently contained in the town but added that if it spilled into surrounding areas, up to 500 DKBA troops and 900 KNU soldiers could join the battle.
Poll legitimacy slammed
With democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi still locked up and opposition leaders reporting widespread complaints of intimidation and other irregularities, many world leaders rejected the legitimacy of the poll.
US President Barack Obama said the vote would be "anything but free and fair", while his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would maintain "rigorous sanctions" against the regime while it holds political prisoners, abuses human rights and ignores dialogue with the opposition.
The electoral process was "severely flawed, precluded an inclusive, level playing field, and repressed fundamental freedoms," said Clinton.
Many areas were uncontested by pro-democracy candidates because of major financial and other hurdles.
While conditions for the vote have been widely criticised, some saw the poll as a small step towards democracy after almost five decades of autocratic rule, with opposition parties confident of success in areas they did contest.
But with 25 per cent of the seats in parliament reserved for military appointees whatever the outcome, the two main pro-junta parties needed to win just 26 per cent of the remaining seats to secure a majority.
Poll looks to go Generals' way
It is unclear when the results will be announced, but the poll seemed to have gone largely according to the generals' plan.
Despite the regime's unpopularity, its political proxy, the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP), was expected to fare well, helped by huge financial and campaigning advantages as well as a climate of fear.
In many constituencies the poll was a two-way battle between the USDP and the National Unity Party (NUP), which is the successor to late dictator Ne Win's party and also closely aligned with the military.
The state-controlled press on Monday featured photos of junta chief Than Shwe and other top brass voting, as well as various pictures and articles about diplomats and reporters observing the polls.
The European Union declined an official tour, saying conditions were too restrictive, while foreign reporters were not allowed into Burma for the election.
State media said people "freely cast votes" and it announced the "winners" in 57 constituencies, 55 of which were contested by just one candidate, more than two thirds of those with the USDP.
Two opposition parties accused the USDP -- formed by ministers who retired from the military in April -- of illegally collecting advance ballots.
"My sense is that there were certainly cases of intimidation," said Britain's ambassador to Burma, Andrew Heyn, who expressed concern about the many anecdotal reports of advance voting irregularities.
"These votes are very open to abuses," he told AFP.
The National Democratic Force (NDF), created by former members of Suu Kyi's disbanded party, said some people had complained that they were told by the USDP there was no need to vote as their ballots had already been collected.
But NDF leader Khin Maung Swe said his party was optimistic about its prospects in those areas where it stood, with queues forming at some polling stations.
"I think people wanted to vote as they haven't voted for a long time," he said.
More than 29 million people were eligible to vote but it was uncertain how many actually cast ballots, with apathy and disillusionment widespread in the impoverished nation.
After the election, attention was turning to whether the regime will release Suu Kyi on Saturday, when her current term of house arrest is due to end.
Nobel Peace Prize winner Suu Kyi swept her party to power in 1990 but the result was never recognised by the ruling generals. She has been detained for most of the last 20 years and supported a boycott of Sunday's election.
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