Bhutan eMO Deployment

Dear friends,

Recently I have visited the Bhutan Post Corporation Ltd, Bhutan for delivering the eMO software to update their existing manual working for Money Order transactions. Under the guidance of Mr. Balasubramanian K. Director, Centre for Excellence in Postal Technology we have successfully accomplished the task. This tour to deploy this application in Thimphu as well as Paro Post Offices was for 5 days from 13^th to 18^th September 2010. During this 5 days period our halt was Tashi Taj hotel this accommodation arrangement was done by the Embassy of India, Thimphu, Bhutan. Thanks to Embassy of India.

Few information of the Bhutan country

•      This country also called as “Land of Thunder Dragons”.
•       National Language: Dzongkha
•       National Animal:  Takin
•       International Airport: Paro
•       Capital: Thimphu
•       National Game: Archeries (Bow and Arrow)
•       Domestic Airport: Within one or two months about to start.
•       For Indian tourist no need of VISA and Indians can reach by road journey.
•       Currency: Ngultrum (Rupees) and Chetrum (Paisa) conversion ratio with Indian Rupees is 1:1
•       To clean and well planned cities. Like India country doesn’t have states here it is Zgonkhak means District.
•       Around 60 to 70% area is covered by forest.
•       Present king is King 5 “Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck” on whose name special drink is K5.
•       Most of the Bhutanese are eating Pan they are calling as Doma.

This was my first abroad trip so I enjoyed a lot.  I would like to explain this tour day wise as below….

12^th Sept 2010

This first day we have started on early in the morning around 0145 hrs from the Mysore to Bangalore Airport and from Bangalore Airport to Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose, Kolkata Domestic Airport. This day our halt was at APSO Kolkata IQ and just evening having a round around the IQ I came across the frog hunting by snake as in following pictures

13^th Sept 2010

     Early in the morning we have started from Kolkata toward Paro International airport of Bhutan. This Paro city is situated around the Parochu river here in Bhutan language chu means water. Morning Miss Sherab and Mr. Tashi Bhutan Post delegates came to receive us on the Paro Airport. Afterward with Miss Sherab and Mr. Tashi we left toward the Paro Post Office to study the working of the post office as well as to understand the complete life cycle of present Express Money Order. After that we moved towards the Miss Sherab’s home on the way we have taken few snaps on the Paro Airport Birds Eye View these are few snaps

This is the Arial view of the Great Himalayas.

These are the kings photo's of Bhutan Country.

Druk Royal Bhutan Airlines

Typical Monasty and wooden bridge.

After that we moved to have a Lunch at the Miss Sherab’s home that was a typical Buddhism lunch we had included Red Rice really to tasty hummmm…………

Paro, Bhutan international Airport birds eye view. Plane is landing suddenly on the runway after passing 2 to 3 continuous valleys. 

Sherab home was just nearby to Paro Airport as well as to Parachu River. I liked the interior decoration of the Sherab home sorry I forgot to have these photos.

Then we moved to hotel Tashi Taj which was just few steps away from the Thimphu GPO. Staff of the Tashi Taj welcomed us with the traditional warm welcoming and served us a lime tea.

Few snaps around the Hotel Tashi Taj. This is Taj hotel series.

Prayer wheel in side the Tashi Taj hotel campus.

Hotel Tashi Taj swiming pool.

Then around 1730 we went to see the night view of Thimphu city with the help of Mr. Jamyang IT Incharge of the Bhutan Post Corporation Ltd.

14^th Sept 2010

     Morning session we had a meeting with the Managing Director of Bhutan Post Corporation Ltd and on behalf of India Post Director sir has presented gift to MD and DMD of Bhutan post. Then we started to work on the project.

15^th Sept 2010

     After finishing the morning work at Thimphu GPO I moved towards the Paro PO for the installation of eMO software. There first time I saw the Apple and Nashapati tree. 

Apple Tree

Nashpati Tree

This is Wallnut (Acrod)

Postmaster of Paro Post office is Mr. Sharma who originate is Nepal I had a good Tea at his home. There I saw one elder sister was taking care of her younger brother in traditional way as below

16^th Sept 2010

In Bhutan each and every Government office and Home you can find the Photo's of their King and four friends poster as below photo was in Thimphu GPO.

On the Thimphu stadium few peoples were doing practice for the Archery game during the festival time.

Old Grandma was praying inside the 3rd Kings Memorial Choeten which was built in 1974 by her majesty Queen Phuntsho Choden Wangchuk in memory of her Royal Son the third Royal Druk Gyalpo king Jigme Dorji Wangchuk.

Still Bhutan country is not having Electronic / Digital Traffic Signals. Above photo you can see where traffic policeman is manually guiding.

17^th Sept 2010

This was the day here we have given the demo of customized eMO modules for the Bhutan Post. After the demo and hands on the eMO we had a Group Photo session of all administrative and field officers of the Bhutan Post Corporation Ltd.

Thimphu Tshechu.. festival

SAARC Building

This building was specially built for hosting the SAARC meeting in Bhutan. It is the exact small copy of office of the present king. 

From here itself we have to get the advancement of this small country. Even our good and big cities may not be having these kind of Police vehicles.

Last day of our trip we had a one night stay in Hotel Olathang Paro, which is inside the forest and on the hill nearby river is flowing. Morning you can have walk around the hill, even lot of cottages are built there for stay.. Really very good. During that night me and director sir had a photo session for the traditional wearing of Bhutan country.

Bhutan Post is having one very good service named as Personalized Stamps, where we can print our photo on the stamps and that stamp we can use to post our Articles in side the Bhutan. 

So I would like to say thanks all the friends I had during my stay in Bhutan specially Miss Sherab, Mr. Tashi, Mr. Jamyang, Mr. Phinshu with them I have spent time is really memorable. Thanks to all others for providing us very nice hospitality.