Before Bhutan’s hereditary monarchy was established, Samtse was divided into eastern and western administrative regions. The western region, including present-day Norbugang, Ugyentse, Yoeseltse, and others, was under Gongzin Sonam Tobgay Dorji of Kalimpong, while the eastern region, covering Samtse, Tading, Pagli, and parts of Dorokha, was controlled by Dewan and Kazi under the Paro Penlop. Administrative centers included Saurini Kothi for summer and Dorpani for winter. Governance was structured with Mandals (gups) overseeing tax collection and local law enforcement, with major cases forwarded to higher authorities. In the 1950s, Raja Sab Gongzin Sonam Tobgay Dorji appointed Babu Tshewang Dorji as the first District Commissioner, establishing Samtse as a headquarters for five sub-divisions. By the 1970s, Samtse was formally designated as a Dzongkhag headquarters with its current administrative structure.