Security forces in Thailand are on high alert following an explosion on the Thai-Myanmar Friendship bridge near the border between the two countries.

The suspected car bomb went off in Myawaddy town in Myanmar's Kayin State, and is believed to have been planted by anti-junta militants. The town is located across Mae Sot district in Tak province, Thailand.

CCTV footage taken on April 23 shows the moment the explosive was detonated at 22:50 local time, igniting a flash of light as the bomb erupted into a fireball. Locals in Mae Sot reported hearing gunshots shortly afterwards.

No casualties or injuries were reported, but the blast triggered a power outage and damaged several vehicles and buildings. Following the incident, authorities in Mae Sot have tightened security and patrolling at the border.

The struggle between armed militias and the Burmese military has intensified amid the political turmoil in Myanmar caused by the ousting of former leader Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021. Around the country, thousands of civilians are said to have been killed during military crackdowns on protests.