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Opinions

Sovereign spirits: Story of Bhutan-Thailand Relationship

High in the Himalayas and across Southeast Asia’s tropical plains, Bhutan and Thailand stand as two distinct Buddhist kingdom...

Apr 24, 2025 6 mins read
High-value hospitality: Everyday duty of every Bhutanese

A recent story of a billionaire visitor to Bhutan and a humble shopkeeper has captured the imagination of many, serving as a...

Apr 22, 2025 4 mins read
Royal Visit of Thai King & Queen, beyond diplomacy

On the evening of February 21 this year, waves of messages extending warm felicitations on the Birth Anniversary of His Majesty The King were s...

Apr 21, 2025 5 mins read
Easing loan access through credit scoring system

As Bhutan advances toward its ambitious goal of achieving developed nation status, its restrictive financial services system stands as a significant...

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
Education – a little boy played by politics

Bhutan’s journey in modern secular education has been marked by remarkable progress within  a relatively brief developmental period, despite the challenges an...

Apr 17, 2025 8 mins read
Earth Economics: A moral and economic imperative we cannot delay any further

In an era defined by unprecedented environmental challenges, from...

Apr 14, 2025 4 mins read
Missing the AI boat while Bhutan's youth hang in the balance

The Guidelines on Generative AI Use for Civil Servants, developed by the Royal Civil Service Commission and GovTe...

Apr 12, 2025 3 mins read
It is not about Kuensel vs The Bhutanese

It is unfortunate that the media has to engage in clarifying each other’s stand when we are tasked to inform and educate the readers. However, when others are deliberately engaged in a misinformation campaign, we are forced to set the record straight.

Apr 12, 2025 6 mins read
Kingdom of Thailand and Kingdom of Bhutan: Over three decades of relations built on similarities and close ties

The relationship between the Kingdom of Thailand a...

Apr 11, 2025 7 mins read
Making Franco-Bhutanese friendship more concrete is our priority

Convinced for a long time of the common interests shared by France and Bhutan to concretise the frien...

Apr 07, 2025 3 mins read
The Buddha I never saw

Have you ever really looked at the face of the Buddha? I hadn’t. Not really. I have seen so many statues and paintings of the Buddha, at monasteries, lhakhangs, temples in Thimphu and all over Bhutan. But I never really stopped...

Apr 07, 2025 3 mins read
Building trust and merit in Bhutan's new judicial framework

This week marks a pivotal moment for Bhutan's judicial system as judges and registrars from across the nation conver...

Apr 05, 2025 3 mins read
Messenger on a Mission: Jamyang leaves Albury for Canberra

After a brief rest in Albury, Bhutanese messenger Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk has resumed his ambitious biking journey acr...

Apr 05, 2025 3 mins read
Super gain with a simple gesture

Mar 31, 2025 5 mins read
Toward a Unified Right to Health Law

Bhutan’s constitutional mandate to secure the “right to life, liberty, and security of person” under Article 7(1), coupled with its pursuit of Gross National Happiness (GNH) under Artic...

Mar 29, 2025 3 mins read
Beyond the mountains: My Harvard students’ Bhutan trek experience

Exactly a year ago, I was wrapping up my spring semester at the Harvard Kennedy School—a tim...

Mar 29, 2025 4 mins read
Class X cut-off debate: A policy of merit or marginalisation?

The government’s decision to reinstate the Class 10 cut-off point has sparked a firestorm of debate, but be...

Mar 26, 2025 4 mins read
Red list to bucket list

Bhutan, the Himalayan kingdom known as the ‘Last Shangri-La’—celebrated for its sustainability, spirituality, and commitment to happiness—has unexpectedly landed on the US draft ‘Red List’ alongside nations like Afghanistan...

Mar 24, 2025 5 mins read
Need to clear the roadblocks for Yarju to succeed

Recent strides of the Royal Bhutan Police, The PEMA Secretariat, and the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock sign a Tripartite Agreement to Esta...

Mar 22, 2025 3 mins read
The business of happiness

The World Happiness Report, 2025-an annual survey was published yesterday, 20 March on International Day of Happiness. Finland remained the happiest nation for the eighth year in a row, while Mexico and Costa Rica ran...

Mar 22, 2025 5 mins read
A call from the mountains: Will we save our glaciers in time?

The mountains are calling—but this time, their message is a distress signal, as we mark the first-ever Worl...

Mar 21, 2025 3 mins read
Right to Health Act before privatisation of health care

The government's proposal to privatise healthcare services arrives at a critical juncture, as the nation grapples with a healthc...

Mar 15, 2025 3 mins read
Inspiring children and youth with an empowered identity

The morning mist hung low over Gelephu as 8-year-old Kuenzang walked to school, clutching his books in one hand, and in the othe...

Mar 15, 2025 5 mins read
Protecting children in the age of artificial intelligence

The age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is very much here.  The term “generative AI” is now commonplace, with the publi...

Mar 10, 2025 4 mins read
Should we sacrifice children’s rights at the altar of the principal’s autonomy?

The statements by our education minister and Prime...

Mar 08, 2025 3 mins read
Exit the dragon, enter the Wood Snake

With Losar celebrations past and the Year of the Wood Snake upon us, we take our annual last look at the IndoPacific region’s lunar year that was.

Mar 05, 2025 5 mins read
Wisdom Centre: A beacon for justice sector transformation

The launch of the Wisdom Centre at JSW Law, coinciding with the 45th birthday anniversary of His Majesty, represents a sig...

Mar 01, 2025 2 mins read
Bhutan in Focus: The Call of the Mountains at the Kolkata French Film Festival 2025

Last year, a French film, ”La Tresse” (The Braid), premiered for the Bhutanese people during the Bhutan Echoes Film Festival, as part of the Drukyul’s Literature and Arts Festival. On this occasion, Dr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, announced his intention to foster film cooperation between France and Bhutan. To this end, two initiatives were conceived.

Feb 28, 2025 5 mins read
Browse Archives
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, Samdrupjongkhar has remained without a specialist.

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
Gelephu CRRH installs advanced endoscopic system

Gelephu—The Gelephu Central Regional Referral Hospital (CRRH) yesterday installed the advanced EVIS X1 CV-1500 endoscopy...

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
Bhutan receives high-resolution digital topographic map for strategic developmental projects

Bhutan marked a major milestone in its digital development journey with the official handover of the Digital Topographic...

Apr 19, 2025 2 mins read
120 Bajaj Allianz delegates in Bhutan for MICE event

Indian insurance giant Bajaj Allianz chose Bhutan as the destination for its annual company event, bringing about 120 de...

Apr 19, 2025 2 mins read
Highland schools struggle to feed children nutritious food

In the two most remote gewogs of the country, Lunana in Gasa and Lingzhi in Thimphu, both located 4,000 metres above sea...

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
Tashichoeling transforms into emerging urban centre

Samtse-Tashichoeling in Samtse, once a quiet settlement of scattered homes and narrow roads, is rapidly transforming int...

Apr 19, 2025 3 mins read
I, the Song: A review

After earning critical praise and a string of international accolades, filmmaker Dechen Roder’s psychological drama “I, the Song” premiered in Thimphu on April 17.

Apr 19, 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 cost of food and non-alcoholic beverages going up by 6 percent. These numbers are not just statistics—they reflect the daily struggles of households across the country. Behind every price increase is a fa

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
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

Stock Today

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BPCL 0.00 43.00
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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
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...

Feb 18, 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
Need to fast-track approval of new FDI rules

A  foreign direct investment (FDI) company has been navigating the bureaucratic corridors for more than a year now tryin...

Mar 21, 2025 2 mins read

Recents

For inclusive healthcare

A recent medical and dental camp organised by the Ability Bhutan Society (ABS), in collaboration with DANTAK healthcare professionals, offers a small but powerful glimpse of what inclusive healthcare can and should look like in the country. Held in Babesa in Thimphu, the one-day outreach served children with disabilities who are too often left behind by mainstream services.

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Changyuel-Ritsa irrigation scheme offers lifeline to farmers

Punakha— As the paddy cultivation season nears, farmers in Guma gewog in Punakha, long plagued by water shortages, are seeing a glimmer of hope. The Changyuel-Ritsa lift irrigation project has been officially approved, offering a lifeline to two of the gewog’s most agriculturally dependent villages.

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Brazil to pilot GNH framework

Gross National Happiness (GNH) is making its way to Brazil. The Centre for Bhutan and Gross National Happiness Studies (CBS) has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Brazilian organisations to adapt and implement the country’s pioneering GNH framework in Brazil.

Read More