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Business

Bhutan’s trade with Thailand hits record high

Bhutan’s imports from Thailand surged to Nu 2.67 billion in 2024, making the Southeast Asian country the third-largest source of imported goods.

Apr 23, 2025 2 mins read
New vegetable market under construction in Samtse

Samtse—For many years, farmers in Samtse have sold vegetables from under makeshift tents, battling monsoon rains and blazing heat. Now, that chapt...

Apr 17, 2025 2 mins read
Organic vegetables provide new livelihoods for Kochin farmers

Tashichoeling, Samtse — For 78-year-old Kamala Tamang of Kochin in Tendruk, saving money in a bank had been un...

Apr 16, 2025 2 mins read
Major financial sector reforms crucial to realising 13th Plan goals

Sweeping reforms in the financial sector are essential for the country to achieve the ambiti...

Apr 14, 2025 3 mins read
AmA by Deki Natural Dyes

In an age dominated by fast fashion and synthetic dyes, a Bhutanese entrepreneur is turning to the past to craft a more sustainable future using natural dyes.

Apr 09, 2025 3 mins read
Online potato auction boosts trade and revenue

Potato trade has seen a major transformation since the launch of the online auction system under the Bhutan Commodities Exchange Initiative (BCEI) in 2016.

Mar 31, 2025 2 mins read
BOB introduces flexible credit line and premium cards

The Bank of Bhutan (BoB) unveiled two financial products—Credit Line Limit (CLL) and BOB Premium Card—at a networking event for its bu...

Mar 31, 2025 2 mins read
Mountain Hazelnuts secures USD 7.9M investment for climate-resilient farming

Mountain Hazelnuts, one of Bhutan’s first fully foreign direct in...

Mar 31, 2025 1 mins read
Bhutan auctions wine on global stage

For the first time, Bhutanese vintage wine will go under the hammer on the global stage, marking a historic moment for the country’s nascent wine industry.

Mar 28, 2025 2 mins read
Soyalla: The Bhutanese tofu maker

In much of the world, plant-based diets are gaining traction for their health benefits and environmental sustainability. Yet in Bhutan, where traditional cuisine is deeply rooted in meat and...

Mar 21, 2025 3 mins read
PHPA-II commissions third unit, adding 170 MW to national grid

Wangdue—The third unit of Punatsangchhu-II hydropower project was commissioned yesterday, boosting the plan...

Mar 20, 2025 2 mins read
Manufacturing sector at a crossroads

The country’s economy, facing nearly three decades of premature de-industrialisation, requires a targeted industrial policy that prioritises specialised sectors to reverse this trend.

Mar 20, 2025 2 mins read
Pioneering organic glass noodles

Forty-year-old entrepreneur Sonam Zangmo from Wangdue is pioneering organic glass noodles (Finn) made from buckwheat and vegetable extracts.

Mar 19, 2025 3 mins read
Agricultural exports surge to Nu 3.51 billion despite production challenges

Bhutan’s agricultural exports saw a strong performance last year, ge...

Mar 18, 2025 2 mins read
Agenda Chikha commits USD 8 million to strengthen disability inclusion

Agenda Chikha, a collaborative initiative between the government and key stakeholde...

Mar 18, 2025 3 mins read
Building startups for Gelephu Mindfulness City

After a four-year hiatus, the National Startup Weekend is back, aiming to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with essential skills, mentorship, and resources to...

Mar 13, 2025 3 mins read
Smartphone imports hit record high of Nu 2.7 billion, raising eyebrows

Smartphone imports spiked to Nu 2.72 billion in 2024, a sharp increase from Nu 2.2 billion in 2023. This jump propelled smartphones to the fifth-highest imported commodity, up from eighth place the previous year, according to Bhutan Trade Statistics.

Mar 08, 2025 2 mins read
BDBL receives almost 4,000 loan applications under ESP Window-I

Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) has received 3,969 loan applications across its 35 branches natio...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Card payment and SWIFT transfers drive international transactions

Bhutan’s international payment systems showed mixed trends in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, rec...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Hydropower generation spikes by 11 percent in 2024

The country’s total hydropower generation increased by 11 percent, reaching 11, 699.68 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electricity in 2024, up from 10,...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Forex reserves reach USD 700 million, up by 15 percent

The country’s foreign exchange reserves grew by 15.39 percent year-over-year, reaching USD 700.51 million as of December 2024, an increase  of USD 93.48 million, according to the National Statistics Bureau’s socio-economic fourth-quarter update.

Feb 18, 2025 2 mins read
Will Starlink disrupt local internet market?

Starlink’s recent entry into the country promises high-speed connectivity, potentially disrupting the market long dominated by Bhutan Telecom and TashiCell—the t...

Feb 15, 2025 2 mins read
Businesses in Phuentsholing struggle to rebound

Phuentsholing—Despite an uptick in the number of Indian tourists visiting Phuentsholing, local businesses in the country’s commercial hub are struggling...

Feb 15, 2025 3 mins read
Finance ministry revises hospitality and entertainment budget

Following recommendations by Royal Audit Authority (RAA), the finance ministry has revised the guidelines for...

Feb 15, 2025 3 mins read
Two textile startup ideas awarded

Two Bhutanese textile startup ideas were awarded Nu 50,000 each for their business ideas during a recent 15-day Basic Entrepreneurship Course focused on the textile sector, held at the Royal Textile Academy.

Feb 15, 2025 2 mins read
ORO Bank to reinvent banking in Gelephu Mindfulness City

ORO Bank, Asia’s first full-reserve bank, is positioning itself as a pillar of trust and transparency in the country’s ambiti...

Jan 30, 2025 2 mins read
RMA pilots central bank digital currency

The central bank, Royal Monetary Authority (RMA), has initiated a pilot programme for a central bank digital currency (CBDC) in a controlled and experimental environment, fo...

Jan 28, 2025 2 mins read
At 9.9 percent, industry growth falls short of plan’s target

The industry sector’s growth rate is estimated at 9.9 percent in the 13th Plan, which is lower by 0.3 perce...

Jan 25, 2025 2 mins read
New measures to streamline exports from Samdrupjongkhar

Samdrupjongkhar—Authorities in Samdrupjongkhar are cracking down on illegal mandarin exports to prevent market disruptions and loss of government revenue.

Jan 25, 2025 2 mins read
Browse Archives
Empowering parents of children with disabilities

The Draktsho Vocational Training Centre for Children and Youth with Disabilities is launching a major initiative to train 80 parents of children with disabilities, aiming to empower families left behind by traditional educational and support systems.

Apr 21, 2025 2 mins read
Bhutanese teen helps build satellite in Australia

Pema Tsho Sakhu, a 13-year-old Bhutanese student living in Perth, Australia, is already reaching for the stars, literall...

Apr 21, 2025 3 mins read
Maedgang farmers thrive with poultry and pig farming boom

Samtse—Poultry and piggery farming has become a primary source of livelihood for many farmers in Maedgang, under Norbuan...

Apr 21, 2025 2 mins read
Heli Bhutan to begin operations this month

Bhutan’s first private helicopter operator, Heli Bhutan Private Limited (Heli Bhutan), will begin its operations by the...

Apr 21, 2025 2 mins read
Blazing cost of forest fires

Forest fires have destroyed around 70,696 acres of forest land across the country in the past five years, according to records with the Department of Forests and Park Services (DoFPS).

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
Bhutan medical relief team returns after successful mission in Myanmar

“Working among the 87-member Bhutan Medical Relief Team (BMRT) in Myanmar for 18 days, I realised that co-operation, dis...

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
Patients suffer as Dewathang hospital’s lone gynaecologist absent for months

For more than three months, the gynaecology department at Jigme Dorji Wangchuck Military Hospital in Dewathang, Samdrupj...

Apr 19, 2025 2 mins read
RBP to install AI-powered number plate recognition cameras to enhance public safety

To strengthen road safety and support law enforcement in tackling traffic violations, the Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) will...

Apr 19, 2025 2 mins read
Opposition MP appeals to High Court, claiming insufficient evidence

The opposition Member of Parliament (MP) for Nubi-Tangsibji constituency in Trongsa, Tashi Dorji, who was convicted of c...

Apr 19, 2025 1 mins read
Price guarantee scheme pumps up local meat industry

The price guarantee scheme (PGS), a government backed initiative, is showing early success in boosting local meat and fi...

Apr 19, 2025 2 mins read
Prevention must lead our health response

Bhutan is facing a silent but dangerous health crisis. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs)—such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes, cancer, and chronic respiratory conditions—have quietly become the leading cause of death in the country.

Apr 08, 2025 2 mins read
Investing in food security

Food prices in Bhutan have been rising steadily, making it harder for families to afford what they need. Recent data shows that food inflation reached 5.45 percent in February this year, with the co...

Apr 07, 2025 2 mins read
Saving our crafts

There are growing concerns in the arts and craft business. Those in the business are increasingly alarmed by the influx of cheaper—sometimes better-finished—imported craft...

Apr 05, 2025 2 mins read
Scamming at next level

A banker in Turkey died after the Covid-19 pandemic. His “head of finance" is reaching out to people so that she can share the fortune, as the banker had no children or  kith or kin to c...

Apr 04, 2025 2 mins read
Address teacher shortage issue urgently

The shortage of over 1,100 teachers in our schools is not just a staffing issue—it is a crisis threatening the country’s education system and, by extension, our future. The Ministry of Education and Skills Development has launched a nati...

Apr 03, 2025 2 mins read
Ensuring quality of public infrastructure

Public infrastructure serves as the backbone of national economy, influencing everything from economic productivity to social well-being. Yet, for too long, quality control has been an afterthought rather than a fundamental principle guiding i...

Apr 02, 2025 2 mins read
Media must first hold itself accountable

The media serves as a watchdog of society, holding institutions and individuals accountable for their actions. It plays an important role in upholding democracy, exposing corruption, and ensuring transparency in governance. However, as much...

Apr 01, 2025 2 mins read
Waste problem demands urgent action

We are at a crossroads in our fight against waste. The country, known for its pristine environment and Gross National Happiness philosophy, is now grappling with an escalating waste crisis. If immediate, evidence-based action...

Mar 31, 2025 2 mins read
Clearing speedbumps along the EV road

The call for privatising or establishing a public-private partnership (PPP) to develop and maintain electric vehicle (EV) charging stations is valid, given the crucial role of infrastructure in advancing the EV agenda. The challeng...

Mar 29, 2025 2 mins read
Urgent need for more EV charging stations

Bhutan’s ambitious target of replacing 70 percent of its vehicles with electric ones by 2035 is a visionary step towards sustainability. However, without a well-planned and efficiently maintained network of charging stations, this goal could r...

Mar 28, 2025 2 mins read

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Building startups for Gelephu Mindfulness City

After a four-year hiatus, the National Startup Weekend is back, aiming to equip aspiring entrepreneurs with essential sk...

Mar 13, 2025 3 mins read
Smartphone imports hit record high of Nu 2.7 billion, raising eyebrows

Smartphone imports spiked to Nu 2.72 billion in 2024, a sharp increase from Nu 2.2 billion in 2023. This jump propelled...

Mar 08, 2025 2 mins read
BDBL receives almost 4,000 loan applications under ESP Window-I

Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) has received 3,969 loan applications across its 35 branches nationwide, totaling...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Card payment and SWIFT transfers drive international transactions

Bhutan’s international payment systems showed mixed trends in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2024, recording a sharp increas...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Hydropower generation spikes by 11 percent in 2024

The country’s total hydropower generation increased by 11 percent, reaching 11, 699.68 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of electrici...

Feb 20, 2025 2 mins read
Investing in our children’s future through play

In Bhutan, where strong family values and community ties form the foundation of society, the way we raise our children d...

Mar 27, 2025 2 mins read
Hitting boulders along the export highway

The boulder trade emerged as a boon for Bhutanese businessmen and the economy. With Bangladesh experiencing a surge in c...

Mar 26, 2025 2 mins read
Saving our rivers

From a distance, our glacial-fed rivers appear pristine. But a closer look along the riverbanks , especially in urban ar...

Mar 25, 2025 2 mins read
Tuberculosis: Growing threat demands urgent action

Tuberculosis (TB) seems to be quietly spreading across the country, posing a serious public health issue. Despite medica...

Mar 24, 2025 2 mins read
Real dangers over our heads

For years, the Royal University of Bhutan’s conference hall in Thimphu has hosted policymakers, intellectuals, and exper...

Mar 22, 2025 2 mins read

Recents

Royal diplomacy: How King strengthened ties with Thailand

Diplomatic relationships are often built in conference rooms, signed into existence with handshakes and ink. But in rare instances, they are nurtured through grace, humility, and personal charm. Such is the story of Bhutan-Thailand relations, a friendship elevated to new heights through the singular efforts of His Majesty the King of Bhutan.

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The bonding of two Kingdoms

The visit of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun to Bhutan, as a guest of His Majesty Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, is a stimulating reminder of human governance that transcends time.

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Where archery is a sacred ritual of victory and prayer

In Lingzhi, a remote highland village in northern Bhutan, the annual archery match is a sacred tradition. Held once a year before the plantation season, the village’s annual archery match is a spiritual rite believed to bring health, protection, and a bountiful harvest.

Read More