Visits

Visits to Australia

Visits to Bhutan

Visits to Japan

Visits to Korea

Study tour by officials of the Legal Affairs Department

The Department of Legal Affairs sent a group comprising of the Director General and three lawyers on a study tour to Australia, among other countries, from 16 - 18 August 2001 to study the functions of the Attorney General's Office/Ministry of Law & Justice, the procedures and system of prosecution etc. The study tour was funded by DANIDA.

Visits to Australia

1. September 2000: H. E. Lyonpo Sangey Ngedup, Minister for Health & Education and Chairman of the Bhutan Olympic Committee attended the Sydney Olympic Games.
2. 9 - 14 September 2001: H. E. Lyonpo Kinzang Dorji, Minister for Agriculture to sign a Memorandum of Understanding between the Ministry of Agriculture, RGOB and the Government of New South Wales on technical cooperation in the areas of forest fire control and management of protected areas.
3. 5 - 10 October 2001: Her Majesty the Queen Ashi Sangay Choden Wangchuck visited Australia to attend the Sixth International Congress on AIDS in Asia Pacific, Melbourne, Australia. Her Majesty was the keynote speaker at the opening of the South Asia Satellite Symposium "Lessons from South Asia: Rights, Gender and HIV." (The Australian Govt. did not extend any courtesies despite a request having been made to them through RBE, New Delhi).
4. December 2004: Chhukha Drangpon Lungten Dubgyur visited Melbourne University for a course on Constitution-making, and visited the Federal Court of Australia in Melbourne.
5. May 2005: 2 Bhutanese officials to Melbourne to participate in an election capacity building course run by the Australian Electoral Commission.
6. May 2005 - 21 June 2005: 5 senior Bhutanese Forestry officials will be going to Australia for 4 weeks for fire fighting training in NSW.
7. 20 June - July 2005: A 2nd delegation of 5 senior Bhutanese Forestry officials will be visiting Australia for 4 weeks for fire fighting training in NSW.
8. 26^th September - 30^th September 2005: Bhutan's first ambassador, to Australia, His Excellency, Dasho Singye Dorjee, will be visiting Canberra to present his credentials.
9. 11^th November - 13^th November 2005: HRH Ashi Pem Pem Wangchuck and her daugther and granddaugter visited Sydney to attend the 50th birthday celebrations for His Majesty, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, King of Bhutan hosted by Mrs. Catherine Harris, Honorary Consul of Bhutan in Australia and a Director of the Australian Chapter of the Australia Bhutan Friendship Association.
10. 2^nd March - 10^th March 2006: A delegation led by the Hon. Dasho Bap Kesang, Secretary of RCSC of Bhutan and accompanied by Sonam Phuntsho, Director (RIM) and Lhawang.
11. 5^th April - 1^st May 2008: A delegation of officials from RUB including Phintsho Choden, Director, Research, RUB; Kesang Sherab, lecturer, Paro College of Education, Paro; Kinzang Lhandup, lecturer, Paro College of Education, Paro; Kinley Kinley, lecturer, Paro College of Education, Paro; Sonam Rinchen, lecturer, Samtse College of Education, Samtse; and Tashi Gyeltshen, lecturer, Samtse College of Education, Samtse as Australian Leadership Award Fellows for International Society for Teacher Education Conference (on action research) which will be held at UNE from 6th April to 1st May 2008.
12. September 2008: Karma Tshiteem, Secretary, Gross National Happiness Commission will be visiting Melbourne in September to attend a conference and present a public lecture.
13. 23^rd September - 5^th October 2008: Tim Fischer is making another trip to Bhutan before taking up his Ambassadorial duties at the Vatican City in Rome, Italy, in January 2009. He will be in Bhutan for the first 3 days.
14. November 2008: Dr Janine O'Flynn, a research Fellow of the Research School of Social Sciences (Political Science) and Crawford School of Economics and Government (Policy and Governance) of the Australian National University, and her husband are due to visit Bhutan in late November 2008 for work with the Royal Institute of Management.

Visits to Bhutan

1. April 1997: The Hon. Mr. Tim Fischer, AC, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Trade.
2. January 1999: The Hon. Mr. Tim Fischer, AC, Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Minister for Trade.
3. 31^st March 2000: Visit by Gillian Mellsop, First Secretary, (Development Cooperation), Australian High Commission, New Delhi.
4. April 9^th - April 12^th 2000: Visit by The Hon. Mr. Paul Domenic Omodie, MLA and Minister for Local Government & Forestry, Government of Western Australia, Mrs. Rosslyn Omodie, Wife of Hon.ble Minister, Steven Wallace Tweedie, Policy Advisor, Ms. Bronwyn Elizebath Jones, Head, School of Nursing, Edith Cowan University, Dr. Per Victor Johanson, Faculty of Business, Edith Cowan University, Dr. Glenn Gregory Watkins, Faculty of Business, Edith Cowan University, Mrs. Anne Watkins-Goodhue, Wife of Dr. Watkins.
5. 13^th - 20^th September 2000: Visit by Mr. Peter Larmour, Programme Director and Mr. Andrew Bradly, Lecturer, Development Administration, National Centre for Development Studies, Australian National University, Canberra.
6. 7^th - 8^th November 2000: Mr. Peter Buckly, Country Program Manager for South Asia, AusAID Canberra, Mr. Alex Knox, Second Secretary, AusAID, Australian High Commission, New Delhi and Ms. Sabrina Kommanapalli, Training Officer, AusAID, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, to attend RTM.
7. 3^rd - 10^th September 2001: H.E. Mr. Rob Laurie, Australian High Commissioner to India accompanied by Mrs. Laurie, Spouse.
8. November 2001: Mr. Alex Knox, Second Secretary, High Commission of Australia in New Delhi visited Bhutan.
9. 7^th - 10^th March 2002: Visit by Mrs. Chery Belinda Headon, Professor/Liaison Officer for AusAID, World Bank and ADB and Mrs. Betty Lorraine Smith, Research Assistant, National Center for Development Studies, Australian National University.
10. April 2002: Ms. Penelope Wensley, High Commissioner of Australia in New Delhi visited Bhutan.
11. 1^st - 7^th August 2002: Visit by Ms. Megan Louise Anderson, Second Secretary and Mr. Tiruchirappalli Vishwanathan, Finance and Personnel Officer, Australian High Commission, New Delhi to observe the selection interview for AusAID Scholarship for the academic year 2002-2003.
12. 19^th - 26^th September 2002: Visit by Mrs. Clare Duffield, Third Secretary, Australian High Commission, New Delhi.
13. 26^th February - 4^th March 2003: The Hon. Timothy Andrew Fischer, AC, former Deputy Prime Minister and Mr. Simon Andrew Walliss Tourism Industry Executive of Travelrite.
14. 3^rd - 7^th April 2003: Mr. Jose Ray Marcello, Public Relationship Officer of ABFA to follow-up on the ABFA.
15. April - May 2003: Mr. Arthur Lincoln (Lin) Richardson.
16. 5^th - 11^th May 2003, H.E Penelope Wensley, Mr Thomas Stuart McCosker, Mr. Quentin William Stevenson-Perks, Counsellor, Ms. Clare Marie Duffield, Second Secretary to present credentials.
17. 19^thFebruary - 2^nd March 2004: Barry Clarke, Senior Producer Radio Australia, working on an upcoming programme named 'SMART SOCIETIES' was welcomed to Bhutan at a dinner held by the Thimphu ABFA members.
18. 19^thMarch - 17^th April 2004: Mr. Brad Davies and Mr. Russell Taylor from the Rural Fire Service, NSW met with a few ABFA members.
19. 10^thApril - 27^th April 2004: Doctor Tom Maxwell, Associate Professor and Head, School of Education, University of New England, Armidale, NSW visited Bhutan.
20. April 2004: Dr. Clive S Fraser, Professor, Department of Geomatics, the University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, visited Bhutan.
21. May 2004: Doctor Piyoosh Kotecha, a visiting Australian and Director of Queensland Xrays, met with the Bhutan Foreign Secretary to seek blessings to open the Queensland Chapter of ABFA, and so a new chapter in ABFA has been opened, the Queensland chapter of ABFA.

    Also visiting were members of the Queensland chapter of ABFA, Mr. Baba Sourjah - Senior District Coach at South Brisbane District Cricket Club, Director of Coaching Metropolitan South West Junior Cricket, Member of the ICC panel of Elite Coaches and National coach of the Board of Control Bhutan; and Ashish Kotecha, as the Assistant Coach to the Bhutan National cricket team.

22. May 31 2004: Ms. Penelope Wensley AO, Australian Ambassador in New Delhi visited Bhutan.
23. 25^th June 2004 - for 18 months: Ms. Megan Ritchie, La Trobe University tourism and hospitality deputy head. Megan will be in Thimphu for 18 months. Megan is employed by the Dutch development company, SNV, in a development aid position but works for the Department of Tourism. Megans role in the Department of Tourism is to establish a Research Cell and to assist with the arrangements for the Centenary Celebrations in 2007.
24. 9^th - 12^th August 2004: Mr. Andrew Adzic, Head, AusAID Programme, and TR Vishwanthan, Finance and Program Officer, Australian High Commission, New Delhi, visited Bhutan.
25. Mid-August 2004 - October 2004: Mr. Arthur Lincoln (Lin) Richardson.
26. 18^th - 24^th August 2004: Mrs. Catherine Harris, PSM, the first Honorary Consul of Bhutan to Australia, and her son Lachlan Harris, visited Bhutan.
27. 3^rd - 8^th October 2004: Ms. Penelope Wensley AO, Australia's first Ambassador to Bhutan in New Delhi, and her husband Dr. Stuart McCosker, visited Bhutan on her formal farewell visit.
28. 8^th - 18^th October 2004: The Hon. Mr. Tim Fischer, AC,Co-chairman ABFA, and a tour party of 18 guests including Hannie and Max Clarke, visited Bhutan for a trekking, bird watching and botanical tour.
29. 15^th - 24^th October 2004: Australia's ABC Foreign Correspondent arrived in Bhutan for filming an upcoming story.
30. 30^th October - 2^nd November 2004: Guild Cricket Club to play an exhibition match against the President's XI on 31st October, followed by Bhutan's first One Day International Cricket Match on 1st November for the Chhoetse Penlop Trophy.
31. February 2005: Justice Ron Merkel, of the Federal Court of Australia, completed a visit to Bhutan on the invitation of His Excellency Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye, Chief Justice of Bhutan.
32. 1^st April - 12^th April 2005: Former Australian Deputy Prime Minister J.D. (Doug) Anthony and former Australian Minister Peter Nixon visited Bhutan to spend time fishing for trout in the rivers of Thimphu and visit places of interest in Paro, Punakha, Ha and Wangduephodrang. They also did some gentle hikes in Phobjikha valley.
33. 7^th April 2005: H.E. Mr. John Philip McCarthy, Ambassador of Australia to Bhutan. Ms. Megan Elizabeth Jones, Third Secretary and her husband Mr. Benjamin James Jones also visited.
34. April - 28^th April 2005: Professor Clive S. Fraser from University of Melbourne for satellite imaging work.
35. 10^th May - 19^th May 2005: Catherine Harris, Honorary Consul for Bhutan in Australia led a small group of adventurous travellers for an insider's perspective of the mystical and spiritual Kingdom of Bhutan.
36. 31^st August - 9^th September 2005: Lucy Brown, Occupational Therapist for a visit to Bhutan.
37. 2^nd September - October 2005: Nicole Pluss, Australian children's writer, will be visiting Bhutan on an Asialink residency.
38. 23^rd October: Penny Richards and John Weiss, with a group of 8 tourists will be arriving, and during their stay will visit Bumthang.
39. 30^th October - 06^th November 2005: The Australian Ambassador, His Excellency, Mr John McCarthy, will be visiting Bhutan, accompanied by his daughter Ms. Danielle.
40. July 2006: Ms Isabel Sebastian is coming to work in Bhutan at Uma Paro.
41. 20^th September - 21^st September 2006: Vice Chancellor and CEO of UNE, Professor Alan Pettigrew; Pro Vice Chancellor, Professor Robin Pollard; and convenor of the Armidale Chapter, Mr. Tom Maxwell, visited for 2 days.
42. 22^nd September - 01^st October 2006: H.E. Mr. John Philip McCarthy, Ambassador, is visiting Bhutan and is accompanied by Ms. Megan Jones, Third Secretary, Mr. Mike Moignard, Senior Trade Commissioner and Mrs. Katherine A. Moignard.
43. 11^th October - 20^th October 2006: Catherine Harris, AO, PSM, Honorary Consul for Bhutan in Australia, visiting Paro, Thimphu, Trongsa, Bumthang and Phobjikha. During her visit she will call on various senior Government officials and visit places of historical interest and also catch up with Ian Temby and Katie Harvey's group who are visiting as tourists.
44. 25^th January - April 2007: Kyla-Jane Hunt from Melbourne Cares, for a study visit to Bhutan on the prestigious Vincent Fairfax Fellowship.
45. 19^th April - 22^nd April 2007: The Deputy High Commissioner, David Holly. During his stay, he will meet with key officials and also visit some places of cultural and historical significance.
46. 5^th September - 10^th September 2007: Tim Fischer, ABFA Co-Chairman from Australia visited Thimphu and Paro. During his stay in Bhutan he received audiences with both the Kings, the Chief Justice, Election Comssioner and Secretaries of various Government ogranisations.
47. October 2007: Dave Darlington visited Bhutan with his Director, for signing an MoU with the Bhutanese Department for on going and future collaboration with the Department of Environment and Climate Change, especially with the National Parks.
48. January 2008: The Hon Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dasho Sherub Gyaltshen and the Director of the Department of Forests, Karma Dukpa visited Australia after an Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation between the Royal Government of Bhutan Department of Forests, Nature Conservation Division and DECC Parks and Wildlife Group was signed in Bhutan late last year.

Visits to Japan

1. November 2003: Dorji Wangchuk, Bhutan Broadcasting Service attended the Japan Prize International Educational Program Contest to accept the award for winning the proposal division of the Hoso Bunka Foundation Prize.

Visits to Korea

1. August 2005: Dorji Wangchuk, Bhutan Broadcasting Service visited Korea to accept the audience award for his film "School Among Glaciers".