LOCAL NEWS

For grocers and shopkeepers, every plastic bag handed to a customer for “free” is a direct hit to their struggling businesses. While shoppers view these bags as a basic convenience, small-scale vendors in Thimphu are facing rising costs and a lack of effective plastic policy, forcing some to hike product …

In the quiet corners of Thimphu’s buildings, humble doma (betel leaf with areca nut and lime paste) shops, also known as “pan” shops, are facing a harsh reality. For owners like Karma, soaring rents and the introduction of GST are turning small-scale entrepreneurship into a daily struggle, forcing some to …

The luxury of owning gold is becoming increasingly out of reach for the average Bhutanese citizen as prices soar, and jewelry stores worry that the introduction of GST could further cripple the market. Jewelry stores in Thimphu face a dilemma, especially as gold prices have surged significantly this year. On …

The Royal Bhutan Police (RBP) has recorded two new types of scams as of 2026 which are email compromise and mobile “bland out” schemes. According to RBP data, 12 cases involved email compromise, accounting for Nu 600,905 in losses. Another four cases were linked to mobile “bland out” scams, resulting …

The Government is set to spend approximately Nu. 844 million to provide a one-year 4% interest subsidy under the Economic Stimulus Programme (ESP) for the hotel sector. Tashi Wangmo, Secretary of the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Employment (MoICE), said the Ministry is working closely with the Royal Monetary Authority …

Service sectors continue to perform strongly, but overall growth is expected to moderate to 5.82 percent, down from the earlier projection of 6.21 percent for 2025, according to the macroeconomic outlook from the Ministry of Finance (MoF). The downward revision is mainly due to the hotels and restaurants subsector, which …

Bank of Bhutan announced the successful go-live of its new TCS BaNCS Global Banking Platform (GBP). The GBP replaces legacy systems with modern, robust core architecture designed to meet the evolving needs of customers, regulators, and the competitive financial services landscape. Some of the key new features and benefits of …

Every year, about 1,000 to 2,000 students across Bhutan fail their exams. Even more concerning are students who fail the same class multiple times, a trend highlighted by the Education Minister. Lyonpo Yeezang De Thapa noted that some students grow older without making academic progress, and in many cases show …

According to the Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the right bank slope stabilization remains a critical factor that could affect both the timeline and cost of the P I Project, as specialized engineering works pose significant challenges. Measures such as reinforced cement concrete (RCC) piles and high-capacity cable anchors …

Importers have expressed confusion over the excise tax regime, particularly regarding the requirement for import permits and the permit fees levied on excisable goods at the point of entry. Phuntsho, an importer sourcing goods from Bangkok, said she was taken aback by the additional charges imposed during the import process. …