China and Thailand have started to build a direct current line of 500 kilovolts linking Jinghong in southwest China's Yunnan Province and Bangkok, according to a meeting on the Mekong sub-region power grids connection held in Guangzhou.  

The 1,070-km electricity line is expected to transmit 300 kw of electricity from 2013 to 2014.

The meeting, attended by China, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia and Laos, was sponsored by the Asia Development Bank and China's Southern Power Grid Co. Ltd., one of China's two power grid companies, which manages the southern Guangdong, Guizhou, Hainan and Yunnan provinces and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

The southern power grid has signed contracts and letters of intent with Thailand, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam on power development in Mekong sub-region areas.

(Xinhua News Agency November 21, 2003)