9 Days Itinerary

Season: March – June & September – November BANGKOK/PARO/THIMPHU If we are lucky, we’ll have glorious views of the snow capped Himalayas on the way to Paro (Try and get the left hand seat for better view of the Himalayas). The remarkable and steep descent into the Paro Valley is an awe-inspiring beginning to our adventure. Already you can feel the pace of life slow down.Upon arrival, take an hour drive to Thimphu, the capital of Bhutan. Although Thimphu is the capital in Bhutan, it... Read more

HM return back from India

December 26 – His Majesty King Jigme Khesar returns today after a historic five-day state visit to India from December 21 to 26, which leaders of the two countries hailed as a milestone in Indo-Bhutan cooperation. During the visit, 12 agreements covering various sectors, including hydropower projects, were signed. “The signing of the very important documents was a clear reflection of the very special bonds of friendship and goodwill and very close relationship that Bhutan enjoys with India,”... Read more

Rs 2.05bn grant for ICT development

December 26 – As His Majesty the King concludes a historic six-day state visit to India today, the government of India (GoI) agreed to grant Rs 2.05 billion for the development of ICT in Bhutan and Rs 250 million as assistance towards the rehabilitation and reconstruction works for the earthquake affected areas in eastern Bhutan. The Indian government has already assured the Rs 2.05bn grant during the prime minister Lyonchhoen Jigmi Y Thinley’s visit to India earlier this year. Strengthening... Read more

Annual ICT Conference

December 25 – As Bhutan heads down the information highway, the country’s information and communication (ICT) officers are made the “captains of the voyage” to create an informed society. The country’s 225 ICT professionals were given the task by the information and communication minister, Lyonpo Nandalal Rai, yesterday as they gathered in Thimphu for the first national ICT conference. “Information and communication technology (ICT) is the use of information technology to empower... Read more

Work on 4 projects from 2012

December 23 – Bhutan and India have agreed that the construction of four hydropower projects, with a total generation capacity of 3576 MW, will begin in 2012. That means that all the 10 agreed projects with a total installed capacity of 11636 MW would be in progress by then, according to Bhutan embassy officials in New Delhi. In a special signing ceremony yesterday in New Delhi, Bhutan’s ambassador to India, Major General V Namgyel, and the four Indian public sector undertakings (PSUs) signed... Read more

ADB grant for southern roads

December 15 – The building of the 790 km southern highway, from Sipsoo in the west to Daifam (Jomotsangkha) in the east, took a step forward yesterday with the Asian development bank (ADB) committing USD 38.76 million, its largest grant assistance to Bhutan so far. The grant to road network project (RNP-II) will be used to upgrade and build segments of the highway and a feeder road, which together total a length of 183 km. The total cost of the project is USD 54.32m, with the government to... Read more

Thimphu among top 15 vulnerable cities

December 15 – Thimphu is amongst 15 cities of the world most vulnerable to the impact of climate change, according to a report released in Copenhagen at the climate summit. The book ‘Climate Change and the Urban Poor’ was released by the international institute for environment and development (IIED), an international research organisation based in the United Kingdom. The 15 cities in 15 different countries — three in Asia and the rest in Africa — are all least developed... Read more

1 b dollar bid for Education City

December 15 – A Kolkata-based company Infinity infotech parks limited has proposed to invest a billion dollars or Nu 47 billion in creating an ‘Education/Knowledge City’ in Bhutan. The project, by far the largest FDI investment proposal, aims to bring in the branches of around 15 to 30 top universities, along with 40,000 foreign students, into a 1000-acre education city. The Infinity groups representative in Bhutan, Palden Tshering, the head of Chundu enterprises said, “The... Read more

It’s the thinking that counts

December 15 – A professor of liberal arts emeritus at St Mary’s college in the USA, Dr Henry Rosemont Jr., who is trained in analytical philosophy, logic and linguistics, participated in the recent educating for GNH workshop. Also a professor of religious studies at the Brown University, he spoke to Kuensel on December 12 on the importance of instilling analytical and critical thinking skills in the education system. An excerpt from an interview with the professor: Critical and analytical... Read more

World Bank to open country office

December 11 – The first World Bank (WB) representative to Bhutan, Mark F LaPrairie, presented credentials to the minister of foreign affairs, Lyonpo Ugyen Tshering, on December 4, 2009 at the Gyalyong Tshokhang. The presentation of a letter of credentials was accompanied by zhugdrel and marchang ceremonies. The World Bank will open a country office in Bhutan early 2010. The office will support implementation of WB-financed activities and development of the next ‘country assistance strategy’... Read more

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