Bhutanese brave heavy monsoon for election

Voters in Bhutan braved rain and treacherous mountain paths to cast their ballots on Friday as the ‘land of the thunder dragon’ began electing a government for only the second time.

Wearing traditional dress and sheltering under umbrellas, Bhutanese queued patiently at polling stations in the isolated Himalayan nation in the first round of voting to determine the lower house of parliament. 

‘There are so many pledges in their (politicians’) manifestos but basically what we expect is a government that can bring about happiness to the people and at the same time economic development,’ said Chimi Dorji, 35, as he waited to vote in Dopshari village, about an hour-and-a-half drive from the capital Thimphu.