YANGON (AFP) - Deadly clashes erupted Monday between Myanmar government troops and ethnic minority rebels, prompting an exodus across the border in the wake of an election that the juntas proxies looked sure to win. At least three civilians were killed when heavy weapons fire hit the town of Myawaddy in Karen State, an official in the military-ruled country said. There was no information on any troop casualties on either side. Clashes were also reported further south near Myanmars Three Pagodas Pass. Zipporah Sein, the Thailand-based general secretary of the Karen National Union (KNU), said there had been fighting between government forces and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) troops in the two areas. I dont think the DKBA will surrender, she added. About 10,000 people fled across the frontier to neighbouring Thailand, including many women and children, said Samart Loyfah, the governor of Thailands Tak province on the border. A simmering civil war has wracked parts of the country, including Karen State, since independence in 1948 and observers say the juntas determination to crush ethnic minority rebels appears to have strengthened. One resident in Myawaddy reported numerous explosions and general panic. People are running here and there - its desperate. We could be killed at anytime, this is very scary, he said. The violence came a day after an election that was strongly criticised by Western governments because of widespread complaints of intimidation and the detention of democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi. Pro-democracy parties which participated in the poll complained Monday of cheating at polling booths, saying it had dimmed their earlier hopes of winning seats. Its very different from our expectation because of foul play, said Than Nyein, chairman of the National Democratic Force, created by former members of Suu Kyis party, which boycotted the vote and was disbanded. We have our evidence. Some candidates complained... because there was vote cheating, he told AFP. Thu Wai, chairman of the Democratic Party, also said the results would be worse than expected, not only because of the advance votes, but also because we didnt have representatives at every polling station. Many areas were not even contested by pro-democracy candidates because of major financial and other hurdles. A senior government official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said voter turnout was estimated at more than 60 percent but the results from the whole country could take one week. With 25 percent of the seats in parliament reserved for military appointees whatever the outcome, the two main pro-junta parties needed to win just another 26 percent from the elected seats to secure a majority. Despite the regimes 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 Wins party and also closely aligned with the military. US President Barack Obama led international criticism of the vote. It is unacceptable to steal an election, as the regime in Burma (Myanmar) has done again for all the world to see, he said in a speech at the Indian parliament. Myanmar state media, however, 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 from the USDP. More than 29 million people were eligible to vote but ahead of the vote many in the impoverished nation had appeared apathetic and disillusioned with the process. 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. The Nobel Peace Prize winner swept her party to victory in 1990 but was never allowed to take power by the ruling generals. She has been detained for most of the past 20 years.