Students showcase Bhutan in Australia

March 27: Bhutanese students in the University of New England in Australia participated in the Armidale Autumn Festival from March 19 to 22, which brought together thousands of people. Dressed in gho and kira, the students walked the streets waving the national flag and banners. They sang Bhutanese songs and danced to showcase the unique culture of Bhutan to the admiration of thousands of people. The students explained the concept of GNH to thousands of tourists and visitors who had little knowledge... Read more

Fire at Amankora

March 26: Amankora-Thimphu, a high-end resort located in upper Motithang near Kuenga Chhoeling palace, was partly damaged by fire last night. The fire broke out from one of the two big bukha ris in the dining hall at around 9:45 pm, and quickly spread out over the room making it impos sible to control, according to a staff at the resort. Deo, a supervisor of guests at the resort, said almost 80% of the belong ings in the dining room and kitchen were lost to the fire. The fire brigade re sponded quickly... Read more

His Majesty graces Talo Tshechu

March 25: His Majesty the King graced the final day of the Talo Tsechu in Punakha this morning. His Majesty joined thousands of people from in and around Punakha and neighbouring Dzongkhags. His Majesty also granted audience to the Kidu beneficiaries. The three-day Tsechu ended with the unfurling of Zhabdrung Phunsum Tshogpai Thongdrel. His Majesty witnessed the mask dances and offered prayers and butter lamps. His Majesty the King also interacted with the people who had gathered to witness the... Read more

Even the Cabinet remains divided on WTO?

March 26: Should Bhutan join or not join the World Trade Organisation (WTO)? That is one of the pertinent questions looming large for quite some time now among the policy makers, academicians, intelligentsia, and the general public. Some say Bhutan should. Some say it is too early. Even the Cabinet Ministers remain divided on this tricky issue. “Many of our Cabinet Members are also supportive of joining the WTO, the Ministry of Economic Affairs is supportive of joining the WTO but there are a few... Read more

Tour operator found guilty

March 24 – Thimphu dzongkhag court sentenced tour operator Dechen Pelden of Insider Bhutan Tours to three years prison without bail for the offence of forging bank statement and credit advice slips, relating to a banking transaction worth USD 89,000 (Nu 4 million) from the Bhutan National bank (BNB). The court, however, allowed her to pay a fine of Nu 108,000 instead of serving her sentence, taking into consideration that she had recently become a mother and that Bhutan was an international... Read more

Gateway security

March 17 - Foreign workers with valid work permits will not be issued bus tickets from Phuentsholing to various destinations until May 1 with immediate effect, Phuentsholing road safety and transport authority officials said. “We received instructions to monitor illegal immigrants entering Bhutan, so we’ve informed all ticket counters not to issue any,” said the senior regional transport officer (RTO), Sonam Gyeltshen, adding that foreign workers travelling to Thimphu, Paro, Wangduephodrang,... Read more

Funds for centre from US scouts

March 17 – The couztion as an independent entity under the scout association of Bhutan (SAB). This was made possible after the boy scouts of America (BSA) donated USD 50,370 (Nu 2.2 mn) to SAB. The education minister Thakur S Powdyel received it on SAB’s behalf. With the government’s approval to allocate a 27-acre land in Paro to construct the centre, the likelihood of achieving SAB’s dream for a separate new scout centre will translate into reality soon. The first phase will undertake... Read more

Banks to go public

March 17 – There will be several opportunities to invest in shares of financial institutions this year, with royal monetary authority (RMA) regulations requiring all commercial banks, old and new, to be public limited companies. The two new banks, Druk PNB and T Bank, and the Bank of Bhutan will have to float at least 30 percent of their paid up capital to the public, according to the ‘Regulations for the establishment of commercial banks’ which came into effect on January 5 last year.... Read more

RBA soldiers and Bodo militants exchange fire

March 16: A group of seven RBA soldiers, while returning from an outpost, encountered Bodo Militants armed with AK rifles and exchanged fire. The incident occurred on Sunday near Sukun Taklai River in Sarpang. The Bodo militants opened fire on the RBA soldiers and ran towards the forest. The RBA soldiers took cover and returned fire. According to the press release the soldiers from Taraythang Outpost were sent to reach fresh vegetables on foot to another Outpost at Kanamakura, both under Sarpang... Read more

Japanese expertise solicited

14 March - Almost a year after the major flood last May washed away the Gasa tsachu, the once popular hot spring is still awaiting rehabilitation. The home minister Lyonpo Minjur Dorji said the country lacked the expertise to explore and study the possibility of rebuilding the hot spring. “We want to reconstruct the tsachu as soon as possible and we’d like to work together with Japan, considering the same culture of hot springs in Japan,” Lyonpo said, during his meeting with a team from Arima... Read more

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