The king of Bhutan set an example for absolute rulers across Asia yesterday by declaring he would hold the country's first national democratic elections in 2008 and hand over a constitutional monarchy to his son, the crown prince, Jo Johnson reports from New Delhi.

King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, 50, whose ruling philosophy consists of maximising "gross national happiness" rather than domestic product, has not made clear how much power the monarchy will retain under the new democratic framework.