Druk Air’s new route...

high flying dragon

A few times in past, incoming Druk Air flights have been diverted to Bagdogra due to unfavourable weather conditions over Paro. Such diversions are generally unwelcome by passengers and crew alike as they are required to spend hours in Bagdora waiting for the weather to improve in Paro.

Yesterday’s flight from Paro to Bagdogra was different. It was scheduled. And it was welcome. Bhutanese living in Phuentsoling and Samtse, and those who have work in Siliguri or Darjeeling will find Druk Air’s latest service to Bagdogra very useful. And as the only air service allowed to use Bagdogra as an international airport, Druk Air’s flights to and from Bagdogra will prove very beneficial to Indians living in the northern part of West Bengal and Sikkim.

Yeshey Dorji’s photograph of Druk Air flying above the Paro Dzong is featured in the photo banner to celebrate Druk Air’s success. Well done, Druk Air. And thank you, Yeshey.

PCS postion...

your position?

The results on our last poll, on banning the sale of tobacco products, is in: of 210 voters, 199 (that’s 57%) think that prohibiting the sale of tobacco products is not a good idea; 83 of you (40%) would support the ban; and 8 voters don’t care either way. While those against the ban win by 17 percentage points, the last poll was the closest so far. Thanks everyone for participating.

Our new poll is on the civil service. The position classification system continues to spark debate among civil servants, so I’m asking if the system has support. Please give me your views. They will help me prepare for the upcoming discussions on the Civil Service Bill.

Everlasting smile...

Mark that smile

Yesterday, at the Clock Tower Square, HRH Ashi Chimi Yangzom Wangchuck launched Grand Mutual Smiles, a project to exchange smiles – digitally, using smile detection cameras, computers and cyberspace – between the peoples of Thimphu and Linz, Austria.

Thimphu’s Smiles project will be on for a week. And it was selected to introduce what’s being called “80+1: A Journey around the World”, an eighty day event featuring projects in at least 20 locations around the world. The projects showcase themes that are critically important for the future ranging from food and markets to exploration to co-existence. Thimphu’s theme is “celebrating happiness”. Hence the smiles.

So if you come across Pierre Proske, the project coordinator and a group of VAST volunteers, offer them, and the world, your best smile.

A footnote: My wife learnt a song when she was in preprimary in Motithang School. And when anyone in our family sulks – and I’m normally the perpetrator – the other members get together and sing it. It’s sung to the tune of Auld Lang Syne and goes like this:

A smile is quite a funny thing,
It wrinkles up your face,
And when it’s gone you never find
Its secret hiding place.

Note to our teachers: the full song is available here.

Happy birthday YDF...

Cause to dance

About ten years ago, His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo commanded the establishment of a sustainable funding mechanism for the development of our youth. So Her Majesty the Queen Mother, Ashi Tshering Pem Wangchuck, started the Youth Development Fund to realize the vision of our beloved monarch. During the last decade, Her Majesty has worked tirelessly to build this important institution, which has already benefited countless thousands of our youth.

So on 16 June, when friends and supporters of YDF gathered at the Taj to celebrate its 10^th anniversary, I respectfully offer tashi delek to Her Majesty and the staff of YDF for serving our youth with complete dedication and for giving them hope…a worthy cause, indeed.

Moenlam chenpo in Haa...

Devoted

I’ve posted another set of photographs. They were taken earlier today while accompanying His Holiness the Je Khenpo’s entourage to Haa. His Holiness is in Haa to lead the moenlam chenpo prayers for world peace and harmony.

The moenlam choenpo was started in 2001 by three cousins – Dasho Nob Tshering (a civil servant), Desang Dorji (a businessman) and Nob Gyeltshen (a retired RBG officer). That year, the three of them sponsored the prayers and contributed Nu 100,000 each towards the moenlam chenpo fund. Other devotees quickly joined them and, before the end of the week-long prayers, the fund reached Nu 2,300,000.

The income from the fund (consisting mainly of interest accrued) was to be used to finance future moenlam chenpos, but every year sponsors have volunteered to bear the full cost of the prayers. So the fund has grown steadily, and, by last year, had reached more than Nu 8 million. Part of the money has been spent building a brand new moenlan tshokhag, a prayer hall that can house all the devotees during the annual prayers.

Since introducing the moenlam chenpo in Haa, His Holiness the Je Khenpo has traveled there every year to personally lead the weak-long prayers. This year’s prayers begin tomorrow. And they are sponsored by the residents of Samar gewog, almost all of whom are farmers.

More dogwood...

Blooming in Motithang

Blooming dogwood prompted Tongyal to visit the Clock Tower Square and spend a good half an hour among the dogwood trees. Since Tongyal enjoyed the experience so much, I’m posting another picture – this one shows a blooming dogwood at the Motithang Hotel.

Thimphu has a few other good dogwood spots. Some of them are old. All, at this time of the year, are quite beautiful.  I invite our readers, and especailly Tongyal, to look for them and send me the photographs.

Civil service bill...

You can download the Civil Service Bill of the Kingdom of Bhutan, 2009 from the National Assembly’s website. This is important bill will be discussed during the forthcoming session of the Parliament. So please read it. And share your thoughts and comments here.

Archery stars...

Ketas

This week’s featured photo is again about archery. The finals of the Silver Jubilee Coronation Tournament, which was, till 1998, called the Coronation Cup, concluded yesterday. As predicated, Team Phojas won the coveted trophy.

But Team MPAB put up a good fight. They won the second game. And matched the Team Phojas karey for karey in the third game, which was far more interesting and competitive that what the final score showed (25-8). In a dramatic finish, Lop Kinley Tshering, MPAB’s anchor, hit the target with his second arrow and cut Team Phojas’ choenda, which had been planted by Lt Sonam Lhagyal. But “Forest” Namgay, Team Phojas’ anchor, had one arrow to shoot, the last arrow of tha round. And that arrow found its mark on the target. So with the final arrow of round 11, “Forest” Namgay won the tournament for Team Phojas.

This week’s photo shows MPAB archers, most of them actors and singers, putting on quite a show. They’re dressed in uniform. And are probably the first team to play with dralhams. Three of them (“Keta” Karma, Kinely Sithub and Thinley) left Thimphu immediately after the match. They drove through the night, and are now in Mongar, in time to play their 2:00 PM Yangphel-style match!

PDP meeting...

About change

Today we organized a special meeting for our financial supporters. During the meeting, we made presentations on the status of our party, and talked about the way forward.

Our supporters resolved that the PDP must continued to be strengthened in order to provide an effective opposition to the government, and to ensure that our people have access to a credible alternate party.

Several supporters offered voluntary financial contributions. Others volunteered to join the fund-raising committee.

Archery finals...

Also beautiful

The 2009 National  Coronation Cup archery finals are being played in the Changlimithang grounds. Team Phoja, who are widely regarded as the strongest team this season, needed just four rounds to win the first game. The score: 25 – 0. And the time: only 10:30 AM. Most spectators were resigned to a quick second game, and hence the match, in favor of the much more superior team Phoja. Some even ventured that the match would be over before lunch.

But team MPAB didn’t give up. They began the second match by scoring points before team Phoja, preventing, much to their relief, a second nill game. And they continued to do well till team Phoja overtook them to take the lead, 22 – 18. In the last round for the day, which started after 6:00 PM, spectators were treated to a dramatic turn around as MPAB scored four kareys to Phoja’s one sa-karey to take the second game 22 – 25.

The deciding game will be played tomorrow.