A strong earthquake has struck north-eastern Burma, shaking buildings as far away as Bangkok. No tsunami was generated.

The quake struck along the borders with Thailand and Laos, about 70 miles (110 kilometres) from Chiang Rai. The northern Thai city suffered a little damage, according to Thai television.

The 6.8-magnitude quake was just six miles (10 kms) deep, according to the US Geological Survey.

At that strength and depth, the monitor said 600,000 people got shaking anywhere from strong to violent. The buildings are considered vulnerable so moderate to very heavy damage is expected in homes.

Buildings swayed in Bangkok, about 480 miles (770 kms) south of the epicentre.

Max Jones, an Australian resident of the Thai capital, was in his 27th-floor apartment when his building started swaying so hard he had to grab the walls to keep from falling.

"It was bloody scary, I can tell you," he said. Jones said he could smoke rising from nearby buildings and people running in the streets.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Centre says it was located too far inland to create a destructive wave.