Standing on the cusp of the twentieth century, Gongsa Ugyen Wangchuck saw the importance of modern education in preparing Bhutan for what lay ahead. Despite the daunting challenges of his time, he established schools in Bhutan and sent Bhutanese children to study in India. Realising the importance of advanced monastic …

Thuchen Choeki Gyalpo Ngawang Namgyal laid the foundation of Bhutan’s public service in Punakha Dzong nearly four centuries ago. Since then it has played a critical role in providing administration, dispensing justice, conducting foreign relations, and defending our sovereignty. It has provided continuity in governance and stability when our country …

If there is one thing that marks out His Majesty The King, it is the vision and ability to bring about great and far reaching reforms all the way back from 2006. These include poverty alleviation through land reform, land kidu and resettlement; better corporate governance and performance through DHI; …

HONG KONG – Since the Chinese authorities suddenly halted fintech conglomerate Ant Group’s planned initial public offering in autumn 2020, its parent company, e-commerce king Alibaba, has been facing harsh regulatory scrutiny. On Christmas Eve, China’s antitrust authority announced that it was investigating the firm’s exclusive business practices. And Alibaba’s founder, Jack Ma, recently …

The Druk Holding and Investments (DHI) has sent out a letter to all DHI Owned and Controlled companies saying that this year the annual two-month bonus will not be given. The bonus would have been for 2020. This is in line with what the nation is going through with the …

As the nation comes out of the second national lockdown and more than 300 cases of local COVID-19 transmission, mainly in Thimphu and Paro, the words of His Majesty, as relayed by the Prime Minister, should ring clear and loud. His Majesty advised the government to be cautious, alert and …

With the Year of the (Metal / Iron) Ox upon us, we take one last look at Asia’s winners and losers in the year that was.  In the departing Year of the Rat, who was up and who was down? For Bhutan and elsewhere, there can certainly be no ignoring …

The combination of the government’s incredulous ‘Dana’ month excuse, and out of context online information on the side effects of the vaccine has given rise to a wave of overnight vaccine doubters. There are an increasing tribe of people, both online and in real life, declaring they will not take …

By Dr. Dorjee Kinlay Unsustainable Food Imports:  The pandemic has clearly demonstrated the need for food self-sufficiency in Bhutan. Our monarchs have repeatedly stressed the importance of food self-sufficiency for a small, landlocked country. The Ministry of Agriculture and Forests has done well in adapting appropriate agricultural technolgies to date. …

NEW HAVEN – Plenty has been said, and rightfully so, about the violent insurrection at the US Capitol on January 6. Politicians are grappling with issues of legal and moral accountability. But the horrific events also touch on a critical contradiction of modern societies: the internet’s role as an instrument …