Information is difficult to come by, so the following is all I have been able to find so far:

The Royal Order of Bhutan: founded by King Jigme Dorji Wangchuk in 1966. Awarded in three classes and one medal.
Druk Wangyel (Great Victory of the Thunder Dragon): instituted by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck in 1985 as the country’s highest national award (postnominal=DWG).
Druk Yuelgyel (Victory of the Thunder Dragon): the highest military medal of honour awarded for outstanding dedication, loyalty and commitment (postnominal=DYG).
Druk Thuksey (Son of the Heart of the Thunder Dragon): instituted by King Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 2nd June 1999 as the highest individual civilian decoration and awarded for outstanding services to “Tsa-Wa-Sum”, the king, country and the people.
Drakpoi Wangyel: medal of honour awarded to members of the Royal Bhutan Army and the Royal Bhutan Police (post nominal=DW).
Drakpoi Thuksey: a meritorious service medal awarded to members of the Royal Bhutan Army, Royal Bodyguard, National Militia, Royal Bhutan Police, and Forest Guards and the uniformed civilian services to reward services to maintaining national security (post nominal=DT).
Drakpoi Khorlo: a meritorious service medal awarded to members of the Royal Bhutan Police and to reward services to maintaining law and order (post nominal=DK).

If there is anyone who can provide more detailed information as to the exact names, translation into English, conditions for award, classes, etc, I would welcome hearing from you at the following e-mail address:
susuhanan at hotmail dot co dot uk

With sincere thanks and best wishes,
C J Buyers

Thank you Bhutan for evicting my parent coz I don’t remember what you did. Although you raped my mom and my aunt I don’t remember. May be my dad is still in Bhutan as high ranking officer. But coz of your barbaric behavior, door like USA has opened for me where I am going with respect and dignity as human being. I am so proud that I don’t have to go back to Bhutan where southerners are treated like slaves.

But I will surely come back to Bhutan not to fight agianst my country but as tourist. I will visit my father’s birth places. May be I will even go and see spot where my mom, my aunty and sisters were raped.
Good luck Bhutan.

I still love Bhutan.

We are proud to inform that Bhutan Democracy Forum and Services is launched. The purpose of Bhutan democracy forum and services is to foster politically engaged, intellectually honest, and morally serious debate about fundamental issues of the day and to say something about how we might better address them.

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I pray for a quick breakthrough in these bombings and hope these terrorists are brought to justice.

Bhutan Times January 16, 2008-Thimphu: The Gazelle 2 Bhutan shoes themed by a multi-billion designer company, Adidas, with Bhutan’s national flag on it, has generated an uproar among the Bhutanese.

A few businessmen traveling to Bangkok spotted the shoes which reminded them of something familiar about home. A closer look at the shoes chilled them – there it was, the precious jewel-holding, protective deities-representing national symbol on the tongue of the latest Adidas in town.

“It was nothing but pure insult to see our national flag on the Adidas shoe.  I just couldn’t imagine all kinds of people dragging our national flag on their feet,” said a businessman who saw the shoes in Bangkok.

Sonam Kinga, the National Council-elect from Trashigang dzongkhag, who worked on a publication by the Center for Bhutan Studies, The Origin and Description of the National Anthem and National Flag of Bhutan said to commodify an emblem of national sovereignty by reducing it to a shoe design is an insult of insurmountable degree.

“It is worse than burning the effigy of a president in the streets of Kabul or someone else’s national flag in Karachi. I am sure Bhutan has given no cause to provoke Adidas to smear her dignity as a sovereign nation. This is irresponsible globalization and capitalism at its height,” he said.

Dasho Shingkhar Lam, a Bhutanese scholar, said the flag represents the whole country – that the flag itself is the Druk Gyalkhap. “Even when we carry the flag we have to treat it with respect. We don’t wrap things with the flag. For me this is shocking; it feels like our flag is being trampled under people’s feet. When I think about it I feel really angry,” he said.

Pelden Dorji, a moviemaker, was alarmed when he saw the shoes on a color printout. “I feel sad when I see our national flag on someone’s shoes,” he said. For Sonam Lhaki, 19, the shoes looked trendy but to have them on her feet was something that she wouldn’t dare.

“The shoe is not a good idea. It is the desecration of our national flag. I was even against our national flag on football shorts. Basically our traditional way of thinking is that the leg is impure compared to our head,” said Dorji Wangchuk, a freelance journalist.

“This is outrageous, how would they feel if their country’s national flag was advertised on their shoes?” said Phub Zam, the managing director of the Yarkey Group of Companies.

ImageFor high school students like Sonam Wangchuk, the national flag is a matter of immense pride and respect they have for their country. “In school the national flag is always above everything else, we sing our national anthem in front of the national flag. To see someone wearing it on their shoes will be a sheer insult to us,” he said.

Bhutan’s foreign ministry and the Bhutanese Embassy in Thailand have taken up the issue with authorities in Thailand. Officials said no government approval was taken for the production and the sale of the product by the designer company.

Foreign ministry officials said the company has used the Bhutan’s national flag as a marketing gimmick. “It’s like a pig riding on a good name,” said an official. “However, it has been agreed that the product will be withdrawn from the market.”

Observers, however, point out that the withdrawal of the product from the market in Thailand will not be enough. “Such an act needs to be dealt legally. Getting the shoes out of the market in Thailand does not solve the problem, it is still going to be sold in other parts of the world,” said another Thimphu businessman.

The supplier for Adidas in Thailand, Adidas Thailand Ltd., imported 300 pairs of shoes with Bhutan’s national flag on it, of which 200 have already been sold out.

Online search at http://www.adidas.com didn’t reveal anything on the product or the launch. However, http://www.bizrate.com prices a pair at US $ 42.

A blog with the domain name bhutan2008.blogspot.com mentions: “Recently Adidas has come up with new brand of shoes which has Bhutan National Flag color and logo in it and named the product as Gazelle 2 Bhutan. First released in 1968 as an all-round trainer, the Gazelle is back with a new look, restyled with a shiny leather upper and bold colors that celebrate the beauty of Bhutan.”

The Chief Justice, Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, told BT that the national flag is a sacrosanct embodiment of virtue, source of inspiration and any violation of the sacredness and desecration of the flag is disrespect to the Bhutanese and injurious to the Bhutanese sentiments.

Announcing the dates of the elections for the National Assembly, the Chief Election Commissioner said the National Assembly Election starts with the submission of letter of intent by the two registered political parties on January 22.

Polling and counting of votes will be held on March 24 and declaration of results on March 25.

The Election Commissioner Dasho Kuenzang Wangdi said since there are only two political parties, there shall be no Primary Round Polls. Nonetheless, time will be given for activities pertaining to the primary round to the parties, while the General Election Polls will take place in the month of March as decreed by His Majesty the King.

The Commission says the Election Campaign and the Release of Party Manifesto by political parties will commence with the submission of Letter of Intent by the two registered parties on January 22.

Filing of nomination of candidates will commence on January 31 and end on February 7.

The timing for the TV debates between the party Presidents has not been announced. But the debates between candidates in the constituencies will commence on February 7.

A candidate can start campaigning upon acceptance of candidature by the concerned Returning Officer. Parties and candidates get almost two months to campaign.

The Election Commission says this will also enable voters to be in a better position to make informed decision.

Campaigning will end at 9:00am on 22nd March, 48 hours before voting begins.

Polling for the National Assembly election on 24th March will remain open from 9:00am till 5:00pm.

The Poll Day shall be declared a holiday. The Commission says Poll Day is scheduled to fall on a Monday so that civil servants and employees from corporations and other organizations who need to travel to their constituencies to vote can take minimum additional leave as there would be three days holiday including the weekend.

It says all employers are required by law to grant leave for the purpose.

The total estimated budget for the National Assembly elections is Nu. 72.32 million.

Helicopter service for Lunana polling

The Elections Commission says polling will take place at 864 polling stations spread across the country.

Meanwhile, alternative arrangements are being made for voters in Lunana under Gasa, as the gewog will be physically out of bound. It says the Royal Bhutan Army shall be responsible to mobilize and coordinate helicopter service for polling at Lunana proper.

For voters in Eusuna, the Commission says since polling stations cannot be established in view of the distance and difficult conditions, voting will be conducted in Ramina.

Voters from Eusuna will be given Nu. 500 per day to compensate for the minimum number of days required for them to travel to and from Eusuna.

The Commission reminds political parties, candidates, media, election officials and the general public that the Election Code of Conduct shall come into effect beginning January 17 and will remain in force until the completion of the election period on the afternoon of March 25.

The Commission says National Assembly election will be a historic and first election involving political parties, heralding the introduction of Democratic Constitutional Monarchy in the country.

It says each and every eligible voter must make all efforts to turn out on the Poll Day and fulfill the fundamental responsibility of voting and nurture the seed of democracy sown by our beloved monarchs.

Postal ballot application by February 18

The last date for receiving Postal Ballot application for the National Assembly election is February 18.

The Returning Officer or Assistant Returning Officer will mail the Postal ballots beginning February 20.

The Election Commission informs people that the duly filled Postal Ballots must reach the Returning Officer no later than 5:00pm on March 23.

Meanwhile, voters going in person to their polling stations must carry their Voter Photo Identity Card (VPIC). It is the valid document for identification of voters at the polling booths on the Poll Day. Voters should also carry their Citizenship Identity Card.

The commission says in the event of any dispute related to the VPIC, the Citizenship Identity card will form the basis on which the presiding officer will take necessary decision.

As for the list of eligible voters, the draft Electoral Roll will be updated to include those eligible voters who turned 18 years of age by January 1, 2008.

The updated list will also include those whose details and application for registration were received after the closure of the Electoral Roll on November 30 last year.

The Election Commission says the final Electoral Roll for the elections will be published on March 5.

a) Only innocent and no backing persons are posted here and there and few fortunates people are staying in one place for donkey years.
b) All the perks and privileges are at the top level and all the works are done at lower level.
c) A Lt takes priority over senoir ranks in allotment of govt quater and other facilites if his dad is a Brigadier.