p0626 BC-Bhutan-Elections CORRECTIVE 03-29 0086 (Hays Daily News)
Eds: Members who used BC-Bhutan-Elections, sent March 24 with a Thimphu, Bhutan, dateline, are asked to use the following story.

Correction: Bhutan election story (Charleston Daily Mail)
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — In a March 24 story about Bhutan holding its first democratic elections, The Associated Press erroneously reported the name of the Himalayan country’s new prime minister. His name is Jigmi Y. Thinley, not Jigmi Kinley.

Post-feudal twist: Bhutan’s king gives up power and embraces democracy, but response is tepid (The Oakland Press)
THIMPHU, Bhutan (AP) — The command came from the king, as commands normally do in a nation where royalty has ruled for a century.

2 ex-teachers take Punakha (Kuensel)
27 March, 2008 - Punakha The two members of parliament elected from Punakha dzongkhag share a few things in common. They were trained in the same institute (College of Education in Paro), are good debaters, and both were national language teachers before joining politics.

Shock defeat for S Ngedup (Kuensel)
27 March, 2008 - PUNAKHA Bhutan’s historic election suffered the biggest setback when the president of the People’s Democratic Party, Sangay Ngedup, was defeated in his own constituency.

Bhutan takes first step towards democracy (Swissinfo)
Bhutan - a long-time recipient of Swiss development aid – earlier this week renounced its absolute monarchy after legislative elections in the country.

Manmohan to go to a democratic Bhutan in May (Calcutta News)
As Bhutan becomes the newest democracy in India’s neighbourhood after over 100 years of absolute monarchy, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is readying to go to Thimphu in May - the first visit by an Indian prime minister to that country in more than a decade.

Democracy comes to kingdom of Bhutan (TODAYonline)
A Bhutanese woman walk past an election campaign board on display in Thimphu. Bhutan brought down the curtain on a century of absolute monarchy as the king’s subjects went to the polls to elect the remote Himalayan nation’s first democratic government.

Exit monarchy, but long live the king in Bhutan (Central Chronicle)
Thimphu, March 26: Bhutan’s century old monarchy may be on the way out, but the 28-year-old king will continue to wield considerable influence in shaping his Himalayan nation’s future policies if the results of the historic parliamentary election this week are any guide.

Correction: Bhutan Election Story (AP via Yahoo! Singapore News)
In a March 24 story about Bhutan holding its first democratic elections, The Associated Press erroneously reported the name of the Himalayan country’s new prime minister.

Flying against the wind
29 March, 2008 - On March 25, a Paro-Kathmandu-Delhi flight was forced to halt overnight in Kathmandu owing to unsafe wind conditions in Paro. The unsuccessful flight is among the first of a part of a new and controversial March to mid-May flight schedule, which pilots say, is unsafe due to the afternoon timing coinciding with strong seasonal wind conditions.

High altitude brain drain
29 March, 2008 - Bhutan’s highest paid employees, Druk Air pilots and engineers, are leaving for international airlines creating a ‘brain drain’ crisis.

PDP asks ECB to investigate “very strange developments” before elections

PDP in extended discussions after the press conference

29 March, 2008 - After a full party meeting yesterday, attended by the candidates of all 47 constituencies, the People’s Democratic Party has called for an investigation into “very strange developments” in the last two days before the March 24 election.

Phuentsholing result reversed
29 March, 2008 - The People’s Democratic Party’s representation in the National Assembly was further reduced to two seats from three on Thursday, with the Election Commission of Bhutan admitting that it had made a mistake in the vote tally of the Phuentsholing constituency under Chukha dzongkhag.

A time for every purpose
29 March, 2008 - The international media viewed Bhutan’s first general election with some understanding and some confusion. That is why the international community is trying to comprehend how a “royalist” party defeated a party led by “relatives of the royal family”. And such misconceptions came even after the entire concept of a Bhutanese democracy was initiated by His Majesty the fourth King and the commitment that His Majesty the reigning King has expressed for a vibrant democracy.

DPT sweeps the board in Trashigang

DPT’s Jigme Tsheltrim, Choeki Wangmo, Lhatu, Minjur Dorji and Wangdi Norbu

28 March, 2008 - TRASHIGANGBhutan’s first National Assembly elections had its surprises and one of them was in the Thrimshing–Kangpara constituency where Druk Phuensum Tshogpa’s youngest candidate, 26-year-old Choeki Wangmo, beat the favourite, 48-year-old Dorji Choden of the People’s Democratic Party.

DPT sweeps Samtse

The cranes that presaged the poll results?

28 March, 2008 - SAMTSE Hours before the results of the four constituencies in Samtse were to be declared, a flock of white birds, the locals called krang-krung (cranes), perched on a huge tree besides the returning officer’s office.

Haa is halved

PDP’s Tshering Tobgay

28 March, 2008 - HAA : Sombaykha Of the three PDP candidates that won seats to the National Assembly only Tshering Tobgay of Sombaykha constituency in Haa won by a wide margin.

Lawyer lays low educator

Ugyen Wangdi

28 March, 2008 - MONGAR : Drametse-Ngatshang The DPT’s candidate in Drametse-Ngatshang constituency, Ugyen Wangdi, secured a comprehensive victory over PDP’s Namgay Om by a margin of over than 3,000 votes.

K Rangdol features in facile win

28 March, 2008 - LHUENTSE : Gangzur Minjey Druk Pheunsum Tshogpa’s Karma Rangdol won easily from the Gangzur Minjey constituency, Lhuentse district, in the March 24 National Assembly elections.

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