Scientific American

Mines destroy Bhutan's mountains Scientific American - Jun 5, 2007 By Bappa Majumdar GOMTU, Bhutan (Reuters) - As an explosion booms across the mountains, Yeshey Drukpa, 60, clenches his fist in anger standing in the …

A prayer of hope
30 June, 2007 - The Tashi Moenlam that concludes the National Assembly session may be one of the most significant gestures in Bhutanese tradition. It is undoubtedly one of the most touching symbols of national unity and, this week, Bhutan had good reason to be overwhelmed as the Assembly drew to a close and the members of the National Assembly gathered before the Golden Throne for the last time.

Curtain falls on last Assembly session
30 June, 2007 - The final session of the present
National Assembly came to a
close on June 28 as members of the clergy, government, and the people gathered around the Golden Throne to offer their Tashi Moenlam, symbolising the mutual devotion and faith between the Druk Gyalpo and the people of Bhutan.

Assembly to be dissolved
30 June, 2007 - The National Assembly of
Bhutan, which was
established in 1953, as the highest legislative body in the country will stand dissolved from July 31.

Major changes in Land Act
30 June, 2007 - The revised Land Act of
1979, which was discussed
at length in an extended session on Thursday incorporated two significant changes.

Eastern Command Chief visits Bhutan

His Majesty with Lt. General K.S.Jamwal (right) and IMTART Commandant, Maj. General Avadhesh Prakash

30 June, 2007 - The Royal Bhutan Army has
always received very close
cooperation from the Indian Army. The visit of the General Officer Commanding in Chief (GOC-in-C) of the Eastern Command, Lt. General K.S. Jamwal, AVSM, VSM, further strengthened the existing close bond of friendship between the two armies, said the Chief Operations Officer (COO) of the Royal Bhutan Army, Goongloen Wogma Batoo Tshering.

Food poisoning hospitalises 12
23 June, 2007 - Seven Thimphu residents,
including an entire family,
ended up in the emergency rooms of the National Referral Hospital on Thursday after, according to them, they consumed cakes bought from local bakeries.

Teachers need motivation
29 June, 2007 - A study by a lecturer of the Paro College of Education has found that a majority of Bhutanese schoolteachers suffered from low morale and motivation. Of the 51 teachers, with teaching experience between three to 35 years, lecturer Rinchen Dorji interviewed for the study, only three participants expressed being positive and happy as a teacher. The rest expressed frustration, dissatisfaction and low morale and motivation.

Left on their own

29 June, 2007 - Barefoot and in tatters they are often seen loitering in Trashigang town, sometimes playing with other children, but mostly by themselves.

Authority struggle to find solution to dendrite problem
28 June, 2007 - Dendrite was the most abused drug in 2006 with more than 120 of its young patrons arrested, mostly male students, according to Bhutan Narcotic Control Authority (BNCA), but despite established findings that the substance was the doorway to other forms of drug abuses in the country authorities concerned, including BNCA, are struggling for a solution.

Grow bamboos, save trees

28 June, 2007 - As one of natureÂ’s fastest-growing plants bamboo is a favorite in the renewable resource ratings because it helps to conserve soil and water and thus protect the environment.

Hindu

Indira Goswami makes fresh attempt at brokering peace Hindu, India - 8 hours ago … on the outfit by the Royal Bhutan Army ? as hindrances to initiating peace talks with the outfit and demanded resumption of the peace initiative. …

Teachers need motivation
29 June, 2007 - A study by a lecturer of the Paro College of Education has found that a majority of Bhutanese schoolteachers suffered from low morale and motivation. Of the 51 teachers, with teaching experience between three to 35 years, lecturer Rinchen Dorji interviewed for the study, only three participants expressed being positive and happy as a teacher. The rest expressed frustration, dissatisfaction and low morale and motivation.

Left on their own

29 June, 2007 - Barefoot and in tatters they are often seen loitering in Trashigang town, sometimes playing with other children, but mostly by themselves.

Authority struggle to find solution to dendrite problem
28 June, 2007 - Dendrite was the most abused drug in 2006 with more than 120 of its young patrons arrested, mostly male students, according to Bhutan Narcotic Control Authority (BNCA), but despite established findings that the substance was the doorway to other forms of drug abuses in the country authorities concerned, including BNCA, are struggling for a solution.

Grow bamboos, save trees

28 June, 2007 - As one of natureÂ’s fastest-growing plants bamboo is a favorite in the renewable resource ratings because it helps to conserve soil and water and thus protect the environment.

Wild boars are back

28 June, 2007 - Farmers in Dhur, Bumthang are keeping vigil as wild boars have returned to destroy their potato crops.

Disagreement delayed Lhuentse town: residents

28 June, 2007 - As the majestic Kurtoe Lhendruptse dzong reaches out to the skies LhuentseÂ’s ramshackled town of small wooden houses appears to cling precariously to the roadside below.

Ministers “seriously contemplating” politics
27 June, 2007 - Five serving cabinet ministers are “seriously contemplating” on joining politics but have not identified which party to join, according to the trade and industry minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

Women chimis join politics

27 June, 2007 -
The five female members of the present National Assembly are all joining politics and four have joined the same party.

Druk Air agent in court

27 June, 2007 -
A ticketing sales agent for Druk Air Corporation, based in New Delhi, India, is on trial at the Paro district court for not having paid Nu.5.408 million accumulated from air ticket sales to the national airline.

Supreme Court construction to start in September

A model of the Supreme Court complex

27 June, 2007 -
The construction of the Supreme Court of Bhutan, the highest appellate authority in the country, will begin in earnest by September this year, at Hejo, Thimphu.
Demarcation and site development of the 11.421-acre area that will house 11 buildings has already begun.

Thimphu, June 24, 2007: When the internet was first introduced in Bhutan in 1999, the government was upbeat about regulating all porn and other sleazy sites bad for popular consumption. Some eight years down today, these lurid sites continue to enthrall the Bhutanese netizens.

The reason for the government’s failure to keep this Herculean promise is obvious: the policy makers failed to envision the global size of this phenomenon. Nevertheless, the government did create a regulator.

And Bhutan InfoComm and Media Authority (BICMA), the sole regulator for all Internet Service Providers in Bhutan including Druknet, is surely having one hell of a time given the nature of task it is entrusted with.

Its global nature and reach, highly unregulated content, and the Amazon of information it carries, has made the regulatory task totally impossible. Even the bigger nations like China and several Islamic countries bent on feeding their citizens politically correct information are grappling with this ever-elusive phenomenon.

But BICMA is still doing its bit. The latest site it blocked was www.bhutantimes.com. It also claims to have shut down some other sites the public complained against.

“We get orders from the regulator and we follow their instructions. If we are asked to block certain sites, we block them,” said a spokesperson from Bhutan Telecom, country’s first and biggest service provider.

Certainly BICMA has the authority to regulate websites and any other form of media in Bhutan in line with the national Media Act. Officials said that BICMA looks after the content of every media and if they find anything against the government or any personal attacks, it is instantly suspended.

“We regulate as per the law. According to article 27(P) of the Media Act, if a statement on the paper or on the net defames somebody then we have all the right to withdraw that media,” said a spokesperson from BICMA, adding that certain websites are blocked based on genuine complaints from the general public. “When people file in written complaints, we do a thorough study then pass our judgment.”

On the other hand, article 7(4) of the Constitution states that “there shall be freedom of press, radio, TV and other forms of dissemination of information, including electronics.”

Thus, observers point out that what BICMA is authorized to do by the Media Act defeats the spirit of the constitutional right guaranteed to all Bhutanese citizens.

“When higher authorities block certain websites, it is fundamentally not right. Our right to information is infringed,” said a civil servant under anonymity. “And especially when discussion forums are blocked, it means that our right to freedom of speech, opinion and expression is also infringed.”

Blocking sites, however, may not seem as easy as it sounds. Regulating a website to control internet pornography has been a major failure worldwide.

A spokesperson from Bhutan Telecom told BT: “When we initially blocked all porn sites, we found out that it was also blocking certain e-mails and its contents. We had no other options then to re-open X-rated sites.”

There has never been a single regulatory mechanism which could claim to be an effective regime to control internet content. The existing law is also altogether ineffective in regulating internet content. The fact remains that the global nature of the internet has made the enforcement issues difficult and challenging.

According to BICMA officials, blocking www.bhutantimes.com was purely based on complaints from the general public. “This website had comments and statements against the kingdom of Bhutan. It also had personal attacks and several defamatory contents,” said a BICMA official. “We discussed this issue with the information ministry along with some key people before blocking the site.”

The blocked page, however, continues to be accessible through hyperlinks and by-passing proxy servers. In such cases BICMA is helpless.

Meanwhile, the blockage of the site has raised several voices. People are asking why the site was blocked.

“The internet is presently the only forum where all opinions are equal and neutral. We don’t believe the World Wide Web should be in any manner curtailed, censored or managed,” wrote one forum user.

Another regular user wrote that blocking certain websites would portray Bhutan in a negative light. “I thought we were headed for democracy where people have the right to opinion and expression guaranteed by our Constitution. But why is this website blocked?”

Users say that if bypassing the blockage is so easy why does the government even bother to block sites? “There are hundreds and thousands of proxy servers on the World Wide Web. Instead it would be better if we had a team of media specialist to manage the media,” wrote another user to BT forum.

Official from the Department of Media and Information Authority told BT that, bringing out certain grudge and personal attacks on the public domain does not do any good to the society. “In this case the regulator has the authority to block the site. However, if blocking the site has adversely affected the people then they can always appeal to the court.”

[source]

2007, June 27: Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol of Thailand left the kingdom today. Her Royal highness accompanied by Royal Consort and a 43 member entourage was in the Kingdom on a nine day goodwill visit. Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn was seen off by Her Royal Highness the princess Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuk and senior government officials.

While in the kingdom Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol received an audience with His Majesty the King.

The Chulabhorn research Institute in Thailand also conducted a seminar on Environmental Toxicology for Safe and Sustainable Development. Her Royal Highness also delivered a series of lectures on toxicology, chemical carcinogenesis and pesticides.

During the last nine days, Her Royal Highness also visited places of historical and cultural interest in the kingdom.

Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn is the youngest child of Their Majesties King Bhumibol and Queen Sirikit.

Born in 1957 in Bangkok Her Royal Highness has a PhD in organic chemistry from Mahidol University in Bangkok. Her Royal Highness is currently the President of the Chulabhorn Research Institute and Professor of the Faculty of Medicine at the Siriraj Hospital in Thailand.

This is Her Royal Highness’s first visit to Bhutan.

According to foreign ministry officials, the visit will further enhance the close ties of friendship and cooperation between the two Kingdoms. Formal diplomatic relation between Bhutan and Thailand was established in 1989.

Scientific American

Mines destroy Bhutan's mountains Scientific American - Jun 5, 2007 By Bappa Majumdar GOMTU, Bhutan (Reuters) - As an explosion booms across the mountains, Yeshey Drukpa, 60, clenches his fist in anger standing in the …

Screen Weekly

Amrapalli becomes Paro Screen Weekly, India - Jun 14, 2007 Amrapalli known to be the nautanki bahu Bindiya of Teen Bahuraaniyan has recently essayed the role of a Bengali in an episode for Sssh.. Phir Koi Hai. …

Authority struggle to find solution to dendrite problem
28 June, 2007 - Dendrite was the most abused drug in 2006 with more than 120 of its young patrons arrested, mostly male students, according to Bhutan Narcotic Control Authority (BNCA), but despite established findings that the substance was the doorway to other forms of drug abuses in the country authorities concerned, including BNCA, are struggling for a solution.

Grow bamboos, save trees

28 June, 2007 - As one of natureÂ’s fastest-growing plants bamboo is a favorite in the renewable resource ratings because it helps to conserve soil and water and thus protect the environment.

Wild boars are back

28 June, 2007 - Farmers in Dhur, Bumthang are keeping vigil as wild boars have returned to destroy their potato crops.

Disagreement delayed Lhuentse town: residents

28 June, 2007 - As the majestic Kurtoe Lhendruptse dzong reaches out to the skies LhuentseÂ’s ramshackled town of small wooden houses appears to cling precariously to the roadside below.

Ministers “seriously contemplating” politics
27 June, 2007 - Five serving cabinet ministers are “seriously contemplating” on joining politics but have not identified which party to join, according to the trade and industry minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

Women chimis join politics

27 June, 2007 -
The five female members of the present National Assembly are all joining politics and four have joined the same party.

Druk Air agent in court

27 June, 2007 -
A ticketing sales agent for Druk Air Corporation, based in New Delhi, India, is on trial at the Paro district court for not having paid Nu.5.408 million accumulated from air ticket sales to the national airline.

Supreme Court construction to start in September

A model of the Supreme Court complex

27 June, 2007 -
The construction of the Supreme Court of Bhutan, the highest appellate authority in the country, will begin in earnest by September this year, at Hejo, Thimphu.
Demarcation and site development of the 11.421-acre area that will house 11 buildings has already begun.

Govt ads: market will decide

27 June, 2007 -
Revoking the previous circular issued by the finance ministry to the three print media on “procuring advertisement through competitive bidding”, the cabinet secretariat, issued a new circular, which basically says that the procurement of advertisement materials should be left to the market force.

To purify ones sins, a visit to Guru nye

Entrance to Langdra nye

27 June, 2007 - Grey clouds hover above the hills, shedding light drizzles on the ground. Cool breeze, soothing and balmy, drift by. It mingles with the smell of burning incense sticks and the murmur of prayers.

Screen Weekly

Amrapalli becomes Paro Screen Weekly, India - Jun 14, 2007 Amrapalli known to be the nautanki bahu Bindiya of Teen Bahuraaniyan has recently essayed the role of a Bengali in an episode for Sssh.. Phir Koi Hai. …

Scientific American

Mines destroy Bhutan's mountains Scientific American - Jun 5, 2007 By Bappa Majumdar GOMTU, Bhutan (Reuters) - As an explosion booms across the mountains, Yeshey Drukpa, 60, clenches his fist in anger standing in the …

Ministers “seriously contemplating” politics
27 June, 2007 - Five serving cabinet ministers are “seriously contemplating” on joining politics but have not identified which party to join, according to the trade and industry minister, Lyonpo Yeshey Zimba.

Women chimis join politics

27 June, 2007 -
The five female members of the present National Assembly are all joining politics and four have joined the same party.

Druk Air agent in court

27 June, 2007 -
A ticketing sales agent for Druk Air Corporation, based in New Delhi, India, is on trial at the Paro district court for not having paid Nu.5.408 million accumulated from air ticket sales to the national airline.

Supreme Court construction to start in September

A model of the Supreme Court complex

27 June, 2007 -
The construction of the Supreme Court of Bhutan, the highest appellate authority in the country, will begin in earnest by September this year, at Hejo, Thimphu.
Demarcation and site development of the 11.421-acre area that will house 11 buildings has already begun.

Govt ads: market will decide

27 June, 2007 -
Revoking the previous circular issued by the finance ministry to the three print media on “procuring advertisement through competitive bidding”, the cabinet secretariat, issued a new circular, which basically says that the procurement of advertisement materials should be left to the market force.

To purify ones sins, a visit to Guru nye

Entrance to Langdra nye

27 June, 2007 - Grey clouds hover above the hills, shedding light drizzles on the ground. Cool breeze, soothing and balmy, drift by. It mingles with the smell of burning incense sticks and the murmur of prayers.

Thailand offers scholarships

27 June, 2007 - The Chulabhorn Research Institute in Bangkok, Thailand will provide scholarship to about four Bhutanese every year for five years and conduct short-term trainings in Bhutan. A memorandum of understanding was signed between Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn Mahidol and Her Royal Highness Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck on behalf of the university and the Bhutan Trust Fund (BTF).

Assembly endorses Thromde Act
87th National Assembly 27 June, 2007 - The Thromde Act of Bhutan, which was endorsed by the National Assembly yesterday repelled the Municipal Act of 1999. According to the Thromde Act, the government will establish from time to time a certain geographical or economical area of the country as a Thromde or Throm.

Demystifying WTO

27 June, 2007 - The Bhutanese private sector are being familarised about the World Trade Organisation, its rules and implications and what it means being a member in a two-day national workshop which began in Thimphu yesterday.

“You have to love the game”

Baichung takes a shot at a different sport

26 June, 2007 - Baichung Bhutia does not remember the first time he kicked a ball but the poster boy of Indian football has definitely kicked his way to the top to become a household name in the region.