Ngawang Samten of Wangdi Choling Village, located in Chamkhar Thromde (municipality) in Bumthang district, shares tales about the taxation system during the old days. He compares the difference between then and now to the difference between the earth and the sky, it is that drastic. During the old days people suffered much. One had only their feet to rely on for transport and even the leaders and kings could only ride on horseback, they did not have cars like in modern times. When the people saw kings riding their horses, they came outside and made smoke offerings. In return the king gave them a baytram (unit of currency). In those times a baytram could purchase twenty dre (a measurement equal to two kilograms rice) and was worth twenty eggs or ten big pieces of cheese. The people had to pay taxes on various products and services, including meat, wood, grass, labor, coal and grain.