December 20, 2009: King Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk has appointed a long-serving High Court chief, having no certification on legal studies, Sonam Tobgye as the new Chief Justice of the country. The six-member Royal Commission formed on November 19 recommended former chief justice of the High Court of Bhutan as the new Chief Justice of […]
The Fifth Monarch Jigme Kesar Namgyal Wangcghuck is called to India to ensure that every step in Thimphu is in tune with trumpet played from New Delhi. Two year after the revision of Indo Bhutan Treaty 1949, a year after the enthronement of the king, the declaration of a royal democracy, election in Bhutan and […]
December 14, 2009: The craziness among Bhutanese rulers sounds going beyond normal state in relating things with Gross National Happiness, claimed to be coined by fourth king Jigme Singye. Encouraged by the WB official’s offer to adopt GNH as development index, the Bhutanese rulers began talking about using the philosophy in all issues they come […]
December 14, 2009: Come this December, the country will have two more newspapers in its credit after the launch of Drukpa and The Journalist. On December 17, the 102nd National Day, a brand new monthly news magazine, called Drukpa, will hit the newsstand. According to the owners, the monthly magazine will work towards bridging the […]
November 20, 2009 was the opening day of the 4th Session of the National Assembly of Bhutan. I awaited the arrival of the day like an excited little boy. I cancelled or postponed all my other engagements in order that I can be in Thimphu to attend the Opening Session. But when the day finally […]
December 12, 2009: There was time, very critical time, when a Bhutanese seeking asylum in Germany was extradited to Bhutan, where he would face severe torture, harassment, and jail terms. Fortunately, he has been granted asylum, thanks to international pressure and lobby by exiled Bhutanese groups including media in exile. The long awaited asylum appeal […]
December 11, 2009: From this issue, Bhutan Observer’s Dzongkha edition, Druk Nelug, is going smaller drastically and significantly. The award-winning Dzongkha newspaper is becoming poorer by four pages, down from 10 pages. However regrettable and painful it is, three-and-a-half-year-old financial reasons have questioned its very survival and compelled us to take this drastic measure. In […]
December 11, 2009: Talked since 1997, Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), the central banking authority, has finally launched Credit Information Bureau (CIB) Project that is expected to ease the teething process customers have been facing to get loans from banks and other financial institutions. Initially, the project will be a test run in banks for three […]
December 09, 2009: Traders seeking a break from volatile global markets may want to head to Bhutan’s bourse, where stocks are traded on just four computers — when they have not crashed — only twice a week. “I’ve got one order to sell 2,820 shares,” said 23-year-old Deki Peldon, the only broker for today’s short […]