By Brian. C Shaw Perceptions matter. Decades ago, on an overnight train from Bangkok to the Lao border, I fell to sharing beers with a Thai army officer. After discussions, he wisely observed: “Without our King, there would be no Thailand”. And without “our” King there would be no Bhutan. …

By Dasho Kunzang Wangdi 11th November 2025 is a very significant and auspicious day.  Buddhist leaders from all over the World are gathered here in Thimphu, Bhutan to participate in the first-ever Global Peace Prayer Festival hosted by the Royal Government of Bhutan, and well-wishers from across the world to …

By Lyonpo Sonam Tobgye On 4th September 2001, His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck commanded the Council of Ministers, the Chief Justice of Bhutan, the Speaker of the National Assembly, and the Chairperson of the Royal Advisory Council to initiate the drafting of a Constitution for the Kingdom of Bhutan. …

A great deal has been written and analyzed about His Majesty The Fourth King over the years, and more will be written in the years to come. It is also not just books, academic papers, news articles and videos, but the Great Fourth, through his wise leadership and heroics, is …

By Suhasini Haidar By the time His Majesty the Fourth King of Bhutan Jigme Singye Wangchuck ascended to the throne in 1972, the roots of the India-Bhutan relationship had already been planted firmly. The relationship in the early years since India’s Independence, built primarily between the Third King  (1952-1972) and …

Excerpts from the forthcoming book “The Contractual Monarchy: Modern Buddhist Kingship in Bhutan” By Dasho Sonam Kinga Even as Bhutan was grappling with the security threat posed by illegal immigrants and ngolops, another severe threat emerged. This came in the form of Indian militants from the Northeast Indian states of …

Two recent examples not only show how difficult it is for entrepreneurs in Bhutan, but how the system can turn vindictive when they raise their voices.  The National Post Harvest Center (NPHC) and the Department of Agricultural Marketing and Cooperatives (DAMC) had come under some criticism a few months ago over …

By Richard Haass NEW YORK – US President Donald Trump spent much of the last week of October in Asia. He managed to bring about ceasefires on several fronts of a trade war largely of his own making, after imposing tariffs on friends and foes alike. What he did not …

By Madhurima Sarkar-Swaisgood, Prangya Paramita Gupta, Shashwat Avi, Consultant & Sanjay Srivastava The Himalayan arc from Bhutan through Nepal and India into Pakistan has always followed the rhythm of the monsoon. In 2025, that rhythm became deadly. Rain that sustains agriculture and rivers turned destructive, testing the capacity of mountain …

By Thukten Tenzin As I walked through the main entrance of the Wangduechhoeling Palace, a wave of awe and reverence stopped me on my tracks. Stepping into the heart of the Monarchy’s history, every brick and stone seemed to whisper tales of our forefathers’ strength, vision, and resilience. I was …