Myawady

Violence in Myawaddy between SPDC army troops and the 5th brigade of the ceasefire ethnic group Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), who refused to join the junta's Border Guard Force, has left thousands of ethnic Karen people fleeing for their lives across the Moi River into the Thai border town Mae Sot.

This video details that clashes began early Monday morning and refugees keep pouring across the border, some through the river, carrying infants and old relatives on their backs, bringing with them what little else they could take.

Tens of Thousands of Karen people have crossed the border to the Thai border town Mae Sot after fleeing violence in Myawaddy, Karen State. One man described how fighting broke out in Myawaddy early Monday morning, around 9 am, with shelling from all sides. "Those of us in the market left our shops and got scared and ran away. We have to leave everything behind and fled for our lives." He also asked "the people of the world to analyze the conditions of the elections and plan for the development of [the Burmese] people."

Updates: Toru Matsumoto has been released

The Japanese journalist arrested in eastern Burma on 7 November and released two days later has spoken of his ordeal, which included a threat of a seven-year prison sentence.

Toru Yamaji was released on Sunday evening from a police station in Myawaddy, having been arrested that morning for sneaking into Burma to cover the elections. He told his news agency, the Tokyo-based APF, that he had crossed the Moei river, separating Thailand from Burma, on an inflated inner-tube of a tyre.

Intro:
Eyewitnesses report over 30,000 Karen refugees fleeing from violent clashes in the border town of Myawaddy into Thailand. Refugees reported that they had heard that Myawaddy would soon be burned; others received orders to leave within the hour. The DKBA and the SPDC began fighting the day after the elections. Reports also indicate dozens of Karen villagers injured and hospitalized, with approximately 6 civilian deaths, from two sources (unconfirmed). The UN has confirmed 1000 refugees have crossed the border.

Update - 9 November 6:30 PM

Refugees are being put up in a Thai army compound. Observers noted that this is both good and bad: they can be better accessed with services and support if they're all in one place and accounted for; BUT they can also be prevented from dispersing into Mae Sot & surrounding area and sent back when fighting stops.

A group of defectors from the pro-junta Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) have taken control of major border crossing and military and police posts in eastern Burma.
The head of the faction, Brig-Gen Na Kham Mwe, told DVB that the group had seized the Thai-Burma Friendship Bridge entrance in Karen state’s Myawaddy, as well as police, army and intelligence offices.
“They [Burmese army] announced that they will shoot people who don’t vote [in today’s elections]. So people called on us to seize the town,” he said.