Bangkok  - Police killed an accused associate of a fugitive Thai Muslim drug lord after an all-night gunbattle in central Thailand, news reports said Saturday.

Four police officers were injured in the attempt to apprehend Bares Meesri in his rented home in Pathum Thani province just north of Bangkok.

When officers were finally able to enter the house Saturday morning, they found guns and heavy weapons next to the body of the accused drug trafficker, the Bangkok Post reported, adding that 100 officers were involved in the operation.

Surachai "Bang Ron" Ngernthongfu has been on the Thai authorities' wanted list since 1998 when charged with hiding 750,000 speed pills in chicken coups on the outskirts of the Thai capital.

He managed to evade police after a four-hour gunbattle and fled to Myanmar. He is reported to be living well with another well-known accused trafficker, Wei Hseuh-kan, under the protection of the leaders of the Wa ethnic minority and their fierce army in the rugged hills along Myanmar's border with China.

Bang Ron, also wanted by the US Drug Enforcement Administration, was accused of running several drug-trafficking networks across Bangkok. (dpa)