Bhutan Observer

Chortens need a change of guard
“ Dhue ne mejur menam jur” Thus prophesied Guru Rinpoche in his biography – Katangdepa. Rendered in English, it’s the peoples’ behaviour that change, not time.
Our country has seen calamities of kinds and kinds this year. The cause of it all is yet to be fathomed with our simple minds. Moreover, going by our media […]    [read more]

Seismic designs, a far cry?
Most of the houses in Bhutan’s largest dzongkhag, Trashigang, are not retrofitted or built with seismic designs leaving them susceptible to earthquakes, according to Palden Norgay, the dzongkhag engineer. Out of 10,281 houses in the dzongkhag, only a few are built with seismic designs. According to Palden Norgay, most of the houses were built before […]    [read more]

Of unending lines at hospital
I just want to urge people not to compromise your health for the lines in the hospital. It would be very wise to take the pains of being in line but be healthy by being cautious, while we really hope and wait for a time when we have better facilities, better systems, more doctors and […]    [read more]

Knowing Phurpa Thinley better
I f humour could be found in an inexhaustible package, it should be him. He is funny and witty. The moment he opens his mouth, everybody breaks into a laughter.
Born in Talo in Punakha, Phurpa Thinley, 42, is the most popular comedian in the country. He has been in the film industry for almost two […]    [read more]

Quake early recovery costs Nu 87 m
The early recovery activities in the earthquake affected places should start immediately and continue for the next six to 12 months, according to the joint rapid assessment for recovery, reconstruction and risk reduction report prepared by the government, the World Bank and the United Nations. The assessment team ascertained the early recovery priorities on the […]    [read more]

Rising to feet with thagchung in hand
Tandin Wangchuk, a shopkeeper in Gyalpoizhing town, Mongar, is a popular figure in his neighbourhood not only because he weaves, but also because of his affable nature.
Originally from Wamrong, Trashigang, Tandin says weaving had come to him naturally. He had never taken any lesson on weaving. As a year-old toddler, he first rose to his […]    [read more]

Group lending starts
Bhutan Chamber of Commerce and Industry (BCCI), for the first time, will serve as a guarantor for those who avail the group lending scheme of Bhutan Development Finance Corporation Limited (BDFCL).
A loan amount to the maximum ceiling of Nu 100,000 to a group member will be given at 10 percent interest a year for three […]    [read more]

Farmers’ group to export forest products
After diseased mandarin trees stopped fruiting, the farmers of Lhamoizingkha turned to mother nature for cash income. About 139 households in Lhamoizingkha Dungkhag in Dagana Dzongkhag will harvest non-wood forest products (NWFP) and export them to India from this year. The group –Farmers’ Group of Lhamoizingkha – has already explored the market in Siliguri, West […]    [read more]

The other side of the ban
If ‘seeing is believing’, then certainly something is gone awry somewhere with banning of things. Just look at how many ‘bans’ we had and how effective they are.
It started with the plastic ban on April 20, 1999. Selling and using of plastic bags were banned. Shopkeepers were told that they would be fined if they […]    [read more]

Travel constraints affect tourism
The flight schedules and network strategies Druk Air, the only national airline, follows are affecting the tourism in the country, according to tour operators. Accessibility is one of the main constraints affecting the growth and expansion of tourism. According to Association of Bhutanese Tour Operators (Abto), about 82 percent of dollar-paying tourists use Druk Air.
Tour […]    [read more]

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