Bangkok: Thai security forces killed eight suspected drug traffickers in two separate shootouts near the Myanmar border, seizing a significant cache of methamphetamines and crystal meth, military officials said.

According to Thai News Agency, the clashes broke out late Sunday night after a patrol from the Pha Muang Task Force encountered a caravan of armed smugglers moving through natural mountain passes in the Fang district of Chiang Mai province. The skirmishes occurred at two locations: the Pha Pong and Ban Lan passes, as stated by Colonel Meechai Nilsat, deputy commander of the task force.

"Our troops engaged the group during the night before the smugglers retreated across the border," Meechai told reporters on Monday morning after inspecting the scene. At the first site, a search revealed the bodies of two suspects and 18 rucksacks containing approximately 300 kg of crystal methamphetamine, commonly known as "ice."

At the second site, soldiers found six more bodies and an additional 10 rucksacks filled with methamphetamine tablets. Military officials have reinforced the area to prevent any retaliatory attacks or attempts by the trafficking syndicate to reclaim the seized narcotics.