The Thai military showed off its surface-to-air missiles this week amid the ongoing conflict along the country's border with Burma.

Army chiefs from the Royal Thai Navy demonstrated the anti-aircraft weapons along the coast in Chonburi province, eastern Thailand.

It came just days after homes and temples were set alight during clashes between Karen rebels and the Burmese military in Payathonzu, with flames seen from Sangkhla Buri district in Kanchanaburi province in the west of the country.

While last year, clashes in the north of Myanmar spilled out into Mae Sot in Tak province, with Burmese jets being seen by terrified locals and refugees surging across the border.

Captain Suphasit Boornaoosoth, acting commander of the Navy's Air and Coastal Defense Command, said the weapons would 'protect the country' as he inspected the training exercises on January 25.

Suphasit set a training guideline 'practice how you fight' for air and coastal defense tactics. Soldiers practised the intercept and destroy situations against invading aircraft or boats on the coast.

They practised using 30mm and 40mm anti-aircraft guns and 130mm and 155mm coastal artilleries. In addition, they also practiced with a man-portable homing surface-to-air missile system IGLA-S for intercepting and destroying enemies in a length between 500 to 6,000 metres.

Military chiefs said the training aimed to improve soldiers' knowledge, proficiency, and experience in using weapons while also preparing their readiness for threats.

Soldiers in Thailand have been put on alert amid the ongoing violence in Myanmar. In last week's conflict, the Burmese military reportedly flew three YAK-130 combat aircraft to conduct attacks on its enemy forces, including Karen Forces commander-in-chief Colonel Pure Lin's house, which was about 25km away from the burned-down area.

Fighting between the 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, more than 1,300 civilians are said to have been killed during military crackdowns on protests.