About 20,000 people have fled Myanmar to seek refuge in neighbouring Thailand after clashes between government troops and ethnic Karen fighters along the border that were sparked by Sunday's controversial general elections.

The fighting in Myanmar came amid widespread suspicions that the country's first vote in 20 years would be rigged by it's military government, which some ethnic groups accuse of mistreatment.

Thai authorities have been providing aid and shelter to help ease what they have described as the "worst refugee crisis in years".

Al Jazeera's Marga Ortigas reports from the Thai border town of Mae Sot. (Nov 09, 2010)