Go-Far 2012 Bhutan

BHUTAN
GOING OVERSEAS FOR ADVANCED REPORTING
IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH
BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH
BHUTAN
IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH
Inside
BHUTAN: In Search of a Middle Path Editors Cherian George, Tay Kay Chin Designers Ronald Loh, Eve Yeo, Goh Chay Teng, Ivan Tan Assistant editors Samuel He, Mark Tay, Bhavan Jaipragas Cover picture Ivan Tan 2013 Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information All text, pictures, illustrations, layouts 2013 Go-Far Bhutan team. All rights reserved. No part of this production may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from the publisher. First published 2013 ISBN 978-981-07-5161-6 Wee Kim Wee School of Communication & Information Nanyang Technological University 31 Nanyang Link Singapore 637718 www.wkwsci.ntu.edu.sg Printed by KHL Printing Co. Pte Ltd.
Behind the picture-postcard image of Bhutan as the worlds last Shangri-la is a society that is eager for progress but wary of the wrong turns that many other nations have made. At a time when many are questioning the worlds love affair with capitalist growth, a team of journalism students from Singapore visited the Himalayan kingdom to discover Bhutans answers. We found a
Government Economy
country hungry to emerge from decades of isolation, hankering for 21st century comforts, and hoping to find contentment through its unique national philosophy of Gross National Happiness. Here are our stories.
ABOUT GO-FAR Going Overseas For Advanced Reporting (Go-Far) is a programme of the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. (See page 88.) ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The Go-Far team would like to thank: The Wee Kim Wee Legacy Fund and Shinnyo-en Foundation for their generous funding. Singtel for its kind sponsorship of our multimedia project. Wee Kim Wee School management and faculty members who contributed to the students journalism education. The IT, finance and administrative managers and staff of the School who facilitated our trip. KHL Printing for supporting the production of this book. Yangphel Adventure Travels Karma Choden and Sonam Pelden, our translators, and especially our guides Dorji and Jigme, and driver Dan. Dawa Penjor of Bhutans Department of Information and Media and other officials who facilitated our reporting. Sioksian Pek-Dorji and the Bhutan Centre for Media and Democracy. Manu Bhaskaran, Damber Kumar Ghimiray, Tay Kheng Soon, Yee Jenn Jong and Yeoh Lam Keong for their pre-departure briefings. The people of Bhutan.
Farewell to innocence 14 The way to happiness 17
Welcome to our world 19 The little airline that could 21 The Indian connection 23 Befriending China 25 A growing dilemma 26 Power on tap 34 People above profits 35
Contentment versus competition 37 The flight from farms 42 City of dreams and despair 44 Ties that bind 48 Land of bountiful bans 54
Society
Power and prayer 56 A place for old marks 58 Dancing in the dark 60 Bhutans missing women 64 Folktales: losing their voice? 66 EPILOGUE 83
Culture
MORE STORIES at www.gofar.sg/bhutan
THE GO-FAR team arrives at Paro International Airport on 30 July. Drukair, Bhutans national airline, is the only carrier with scheduled flights to the airport, which lies amidst Himalayan foothills. Picture by RONALD LOH
THE MAJORITY of Bhutans population of 700,000 are followers of Mahayana Buddhism, the state religion. Picture by IVAN TAN
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STUDENTS START their school day with a prayer at Motithang Higher Secondary School in Thimphu. Schools emphasise education values as part of the countrys pursuit of Gross National Happiness. Picture by IVAN TAN
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STUDENTS AT Punakha Higher Secondary School spend breaks in between classes at a quiet corner next to their campus. Literacy rates in the kingdom has soared from 20 per cent in 1992 to close to 60 per cent today. Picture by RONALD LOH
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TELEVISION BROADCASTS were only introduced in Bhutan in 1999 as the authorities feared that foreign influence would erode its culture and respect for the monarchy. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
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Bhutan: farewell to innocence?

Bhutan hopes that a focus on happiness will help it progress without being corrupted by outside influences. But its straight and narrow path is fraught with challenges.
by CASSANDRA YEAP
hile other emerging economies try to show a modern face to the world, Bhutans prime minister has no qualms revealing that he cycles 13 km of winding mountain roads to work. Jigme Thinley walks the talk or in this case, pedals for his little nations big ideals, it would seem. The landlocked Himalayan kingdom once shut out the world for fear of being consumed by it. It is now opening up but its trying to do so on its own terms. Its biggest export is a homegrown idea that sustainable development means focusing on happiness in its fullest sense, not irresponsible growth, as Jigme Thinley puts it. We will try to contribute, with humility but with sincerity, in the making of a better world, says the Prime Minister, sitting in a high-backed armchair in an office overlooking a 13th-century fort that houses both government offices and Buddhist monks, backed by verdant foothills of the Himalayas. Since becoming the countrys first democratically elected head of government, Jigme Thinley has been trying to promote Gross National Happiness around the world. For an aid-dependent country of only 700,000 people, Bhutans national brand has travelled impressively. Global financial crises and mounting unease with the human and environmental
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ANOTHER DAY begins in the capital city of Thimphu. Picture by IVAN TAN
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cost of untrammeled capitalism have made policymakers sit up and take notice of Bhutans alternative approach. A United Nations resolution on happiness was adopted in 2011. In 2012, March 20 was declared World Happiness Day. But, the real test for GNH is at home. Bhutan still retains its rustic charm, but nobody pretends that a focus on happiness first mooted by the countrys beloved fourth king some 40 years ago can completely protect it from the woes faced by other developing countries. Its not yet corrupted, its not yet gone through the extremes of world wars or industrialisation; its still a very innocent society, says journalist and publisher Tenzing Lanzang, 28 adding that he has yet to be cheated by a taxi driver, unlike in cynical, money-minded, cutthroat New Delhi where he first cut his journalistic teeth.
have kept the complex largely empty. You cant have your cake and eat it too, notes economics professor Sanjeev Mehta of the Royal Thimphu College. Theres a need to accept a degree of trade-off because foreign investors will not come just to protect your environment or culture. A snaking highway into Thimphu simply known as the expressway as it is the only one was, at the time, the largest infrastructure project entrusted to local contractors in an economy dominated by Indian firms. But a year after its completion in 2005, cracks started to appear a worrying metaphor as Bhutan attempts to pave and find its own way in the 21st century. The coming 2013 election is seen as a test of the peoples support for Jigme Thinley and his governments policies. But he is convinced that, no matter who wins, the next government will be as
yet corrupted; its still a Its not very innocent society.

Tenzing Lanzang
Newspaper publisher
But Tenzing Lanzang is readying his country for a loss of that innocence. In February 2012, he founded the countrys 13th newspaper, The Bhutanese, which is not afraid to upset the establishment in order to reveal the less-than-happy side of life in the Dragon Kingdom. Rising youth unemployment, a rupee crunch that has stalled construction projects and prompted a ban on vegetable imports, and rural-urban migration that has emptied farms of young workers all these tell a story similar to that of Bhutans developing counterparts. In addition, the governments cautious approach to industrialisation has been accused of stifling business and spawning inefficiency. For example, the vaunted Thimphu Tech Park project, built at a cost of around 400 million Nu (S$18 million), saw two anchor tenants pull out at the last minute. Screening criteria, requiring tenants to provide a certain amount of employment for Bhutanese,
committed to GNH which is written into the Constitution as a national goal. I think every Bhutanese is connected to (GNH), more so after this government came to power than before, he says. Sherubtse College political science professor Sarbajeet Mukherjee agrees with that assessment. There is, across the table, a high sense of consensus on this philosophy of development, he says. Indeed, although four new opposition parties have already emerged, it is hard to find any major ideological disagreement with the ruling party. Instead, one key issue is likely to be whether the government stocked with the technocratic elites who had served under the King is too out of touch with common people. Too many of the common people are not benefiting from the kingdoms progress, adds Tenzin Rigden, 45, a volunteer with another opposition party. Now in the urban areas we have a sec-
tion of the population racing ahead. There are others who cannot catch up, he says. Listening to Bhutanese such as Tenzin Rigden, one realises that although the country has modernised more slowly than the rest of Asia, the pace of change has been dizzying for locals. Weve moved from horses to BMWs and Toyotas in probably one of the shortest spans in world history, notes journalist Tenzing Lanzang. Television broadcasts only arrived in 1999, but since then the deluge of Indian entertainment and flashy commercials has transformed peoples tastes. Likening TV to an aerial invasion, senior civil servant Kinley Dorji says, That itself creates a momentum what we call desire, greed within society. To Kinley Dorji, one of the countrys leading spokesmen on GNH, Bhutan knows that change is inevitable. GNH is ultimately a small, vulnerable nations strategy to buffer itself against the excesses that it sees playing out elsewhere, he says. We used to survive by hiding in the mountains, literally, and refusing to open up. But since the 1960s, when we realised we cannot be left behind, we decided to open up, but with caution and at a manageable pace. GNH Commission secretary Karma Tshiteem says that in an era of great distraction, the happiness doctrine is like a bell that summons the people back to basics. But Kinley Dorji notes wistfully that the effectiveness of this rallying chime remains to be seen. To be honest I dont know if well be able to do it in the end, or whether well go the way many societies have gone, he says. I would say Bhutan has a better chance than most. Its not that were brighter people, or more enlightened, or more deservingwe are lucky to have started late. For 60-year-old Prime Minister Jigme Thinley, who only recently picked up cycling, a late start may mean some wobbles along the way. But he and his government are determined to press on along their chosen path, despite being buffeted by global forces By and large, I feel that we will be able to resist, he says. Even as we go through these trends, we will be able to prevail. n
The way to happiness

Prime Minister Jigme Thinley explains the concept of Gross National Happiness.
by NUR ASYIQIN BTE MOHAMAD SALLEH
raditional economic indicators are failing us, and we are fast losing sight of what should truly be important, says Bhutans Prime Minister. The worlds fixation on economic progress has led to a rash, uncaring capitalist culture that has paved the way for social conflict and environmental degradation, he says. There is something hollow about what mankind has achieved, Jigme Thinley said in a wide-ranging interview with Go-Far. How much of it should we really be proud of? What is it that we are going to be leaving behind for the next generation, and the generations unborn? Jigme Thinley has gained international renown as an eloquent champion of Gross National Happiness (GNH), a term first coined by Bhutans fourth king in 1972 and more recently adopted as a comprehensive national strategy. Bhutan measures GNH across four key pillars: sustainable development, cultural preservation, environmental conservation and good governance. In recent years, the approach has been discussed at numerous international forums, including the United Nations. But the Prime Minister acknowledged that many were still sceptical. Its interesting how, at the individual level, we all talk about happiness. Happiness is what we all want, isnt it? he said. And yet, how in public, and how at the scientific, at the academic, at the political level, we trivialise happiness, and then go about doing things that have so little to do with happiness.
IN HIS WORDS The conventional economic development paradigm guided mainly by the GDP indicator is not sustainable in a finite world. Infinite growth in a finite world is simply not possible. And, of course, we are experiencing the consequences of pursuing such a growth model irresponsible growth, limitless
BHUTANESE PRIME Minister Jigme Thinley speaks with the Go-Far team at his office in Thimphu. Jigme Thinley has been the Kingdoms Prime Minister since its first democratic elections in 2008. The term Gross National Happiness (GNH) was coined by the father of the current king, Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck, whose portrait can be seen throughout the country.
Picture by IVAN TAN
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growth, leading to the excessive extraction of resources, extraction in unsustainable ways, and producing goods, much of which is really unnecessary. But beyond the concern about the unsustainable way of life that we are leading, there is also the question about the way, at the end of all this after creating all this supposed wealth, after all the extractive activities that we are engaged in to produce more and more, after all the luxury and the comfort that we are supposedly living in that we in fact are not happy. There is something hollow about what mankind has achieved. And I think this hollowness was something that we became more and more conscious and aware of toward the end of the last century, on the threshold to the new millennium, as we were in a reflective and contemplative mode. How much of it should we really be proud of? What is it that we are going to be leaving behind for the next generation, and the generations unborn? And so, it was soon thereafter that more and more discussion began to take place on the adequacy of the indicators that have guided our development processes, the search for a more holistic, more comprehensive set of indicators. And all these being related to what matters most to human society. Happiness is what we all want, isnt it? And yet, how in public, and how at the scientific, at the academic, at the political level, we trivialise happiness, and then go about doing things that have so little to do with happiness. And I think that has been the cause of our failings, of all the harms that we have caused to ourselves. And so we suffer today the consequences, increasingly so. n
Utopia to dystopia?
There is something hollow about what mankind has achieved. How much should we really be proud of? What is it that we are going to be leaving behind?
N THE corner of Kinley Dorjis ofIN HIS WORDS fice hangs an unmistakable poster of the 1971 film, A Clockwork Orange. In the past, we were a small vulneraHis fascination with the movie goes ble country. The story then was all about beyond its dystopian themes of ultrasurvival. We used to survive by hiding in violence and rape. Instead, it serves as a the mountains, literally, and refusing to warning of what Bhutan could become open up. But since the 1960s, when we if it is not careful. realised we cannot be left behind, we deCurrently in Bhutan, you cant even cided to open up, but with caution and dream of such violence. But there might at a manageable pace. come a time where such a thing becomes When we opened up to development, a reality here, says Kinley Dorji, who is we saw that it is interpreted solely as the top civil servant in the Ministry of the quest for money and materialism. Information and Communication. We saw a lot of countries losing their The influx of forenvironment and eign culture through culture, while their what he calls the government was aerial invasion in shambles. Thats of television and why we came up foreign media is alwith the four pilready transforming lars good govthe kingdom. This is ernance, sustainable one reason why the economic developGNH philosophy ment, culture and is so important it environment. While reminds citizens of we havent achieved the traditional valall these, GNH is Picture by RONALD LOH ues that they should an aspiration with SENIOR CIVIL servant Kinley Dorji hold dear. clear guidelines. InIt tells you what ternally, its a huge to understand, what responsibility tryyoure seeing and ing to interpret this what youre eating, says the official, esoteric philosophy into development who used to be the editor of Bhutans activities. main newspaper Kuensel. Contentment The happiness that we believe in is lies within you, and not an external contentment, and nothing to do with source. The faster car, or the nicer house the fleeting sensations, or fun. Its much will not give you that. deeper. Contentment lies within you. To be honest, I dont know if we will be able to do it in the end, or go the way most societies have gone. But I would say that Bhutan has a better chance than most. Its not that we are brighter people, or more deserving, but rather, we are lucky to have started late. We were also lucky with past leadership strongly influenced by Buddhism, which has inculcated a sense of responsibility and compassion. Thats why the Bhutanese king lived in a log cabin and didnt think of building a palace. Its the values, and how he, and all of us, Jigme Thinley grew up. n Prime Minister of Bhutan
by RONALD LOH
Picture by MARK TAY AN ELDERLY man welcomes visitors to the National Memorial Chorten in Thimphu.
Welcome to our world

... but leave your world behind. Bhutan wants tourist dollars but without the woes that mass tourism usually brings.
by BHAVAN JAIPRAGAS
erched high up on a pine-clad valley close to Bhutans most sacred monastery, the ultra-exclusive 29room Uma Paro resort is perhaps the most eloquent icon for the kingdoms unique brand of tourism, which welcomes the super-rich with open arms, but shuns materialistic excess. The Singapore-owned resort which has villas that can cost up to US$1,500
(S$1,830) a night has all the creature comforts one would expect in a luxurious mountain retreat, including personal masseurs and a hot stone bath. But true to Bhutans ethereal Buddhist tenets, the 35-acre resort does not exude decadence. Instead, with its organic vegetable farm and austere, monastic architectural design, the resort tries to be one with its natural surroundings.
It is also in sync with the tourism authorities plan for Bhutan. Apprehensive about the hordes of backpacker-vagabond travelers who have overrun nearby Nepal, Bhutan has embraced a policy of high-value, lowimpact tourism since opening its doors to foreign tourists in 1974. The govCONTINUED ON PAGE 20
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ernment hopes this will rake in muchneeded foreign exchange and lessen the countrys dependence on aid from its southern neighbour India, while stoutly protecting the nations Buddhist culture and pristine environment. We are trying to improve the quality of our services so that indeed Bhutan becomes a high-end tourist destination with fewer tourists who will spend more in ways that will not scar Bhutan or will not impact negatively either on our culture or on our ecology, says Prime Minister Jigme Thinley. Holidaymakers in Bhutan have to pay a daily high-season fee of US$250 a day per person, which includes tourist-class accommodation, food, transport and a US$65 government tax. They pay a premium for more upscale resorts like Uma Paro. The exclusiveness is what makes Bhutan and us here at the Uma Paro special; high-end travelers go to the ends of the world looking for a place like this, says Norman Luxemburg, general manager of Uma Paro, which is part of the COMO chain of luxury hotels and resorts owned by Singaporean hotelier Christina Ong. Last year, close to 64,000 visited the kingdom. This was a ten-fold increase from a decade before. The tourism council set itself the ambitious target of attracting 100,000 visitors in 2012. The numbers will be well within absorptive capacity, says Thuji Nadik, the councils newly appointed director. Adds Karma Tshiteem, who heads the powerful GNH Commission, The type of tourists we get in Bhutan tend to be ones who do quite a bit of study of Bhutan and have great appreciation for us. However, critics worry that a developing country of just 700,000 people, who did not even have television until the late 1990s, will find it keep up with
Picture by GOH CHAY TENG THE UMA Paro Resort: modern luxury in a traditional setting. the governments ambitions. The countrys capital Thimphu, often romanticised by outsiders as one of the quaintest cities in the world because of its lack of traffic lights and the local urbanites who wear the mandatory traditional garb, is slowly showing signs of such impact. A construction boom has gentrified parts of the city centre. Crude, makeshift dwellings have also cropped up in the citys outskirts as temporary homes to scores of migrant workers. Do we want to become any tourist town like Pattaya or Bali? asks opposition lawmaker Tshering Tobgay. Others like Sangay Khandu a member of the legislatures semi-elected upper house worry that the countrys tourism sector is lining the pockets of those in the urban centres, while leaving the rural population high and dry. Almost 70 per cent of Bhutans population remains rural, with most living off subsistence farming. The trickle down has been very minimum, in terms of rural income generation, says Khandu, whose constituency Gasa, situated along Bhutans 470-kilometre long border with Tibet, is one of the least developed in the kingdom. A lot of our investors are in the urban areas. While acknowledging that Bhutans tourism sector can do much more to be pro-poor, tourism council chief Thuji Nadik says the authorities are stepping up efforts to bring tourism to the countryside. Paid farmstays are one idea. Besides, the rising government revenue from the industry has helped to sustain free universal healthcare and subsidised education across the country, Nadik notes. In 2011, the tourism sector generated US$48 million for the Bhutanese economy, of which US$15 million went into the government coffers as taxes. Tourists like retired office secretary Aileen Evans however, hope the worlds growing footprint on the erstwhile hermit kingdom will not alter its unique character. Says the 67-year-old Briton, I dont know if I will be back, but I really hope it doesnt change. Its a wonderful place to escape from our very modern lives. n
Picture by GOH CHAY TENG WITH NO electronic screens to show safety videos, safety procedures are demonstrated by air stewardesses clad in Bhutans national dress.
The little airline that could

Bhutans Drukair carries the kingdoms dreams of being a top tourism destination.
by EVE YEO
the assets that tourism To enjoy provides, we should not overstretch ourselves or be overambitious.
Tshering Tobgay
Opposition politician
ROWING up in landlocked Bhutan, Tenzin Namgyals dream of becoming a pilot began with watching planes fly by. He would run along with them until they whizzed behind the enclosing mountains to places that he could only dream of. The tail of each plane was emblazoned with a white dragon spread across a yellow and orange background: the logo of Drukair, the national carrier.
Drukair, which started flying direct to Singapore in September 2012, is one of the smallest national airlines youll see at Changi Airport. But few carriers have as big a place in their nations hearts. When it began operations in 1983, it represented the end of the kingdoms self-imposed isolation. Today, it is a key part of Bhutans high-value, low-impact tourism policy. And, for many ordinary Bhutanese like Tenzin Namgyal, it is a trailblazer into the wider world.
I am proud to represent my country through the only airline that brings tourists into Bhutan, says the 24-yearold pilot. Now, a larger proportion of those tourists are likely to come from or through Singapore. Singapore is an important global gateway and an especially important one for Bhutan, says the secretary of the Ministry of Economic AfCONTINUED ON PAGE 22
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Picture by GOH CHAY TENG DRUKAIR PILOTS on a stopover in Guwahati, India enroute to Bhutan. fairs Sonam Tshering. Drukair now flies to Singapore twice weekly. The Republic is only be the fifth country that the airline flies to after India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Thailand. The airline added a fourth plane to its fleet by the end of next August, with a fifth slated for arrival in 2014. The airline is owned by Druk Holdings & Investment, the investment arm of the Bhutanese government. Its role is more strategic than to just add directly to government coffers. As Bhutans only international airline, there is a huge responsibility of not just making profits but to provide as much connectivity as possible, says Drukairs general manager of commercial and ground operations, Tshering Penjore. The Singapore connection is expected to help Bhutan tap tourists on the Australian and New Zealand routes, according to tourism council officials. It will also reduce Drukairs current dependence on less stable hubs. Singapore is very stable in the Southeast Asia region, both politically and financially, notes Bhutans Tourism Council director of plans and programmes, Thuji Dorji Nadik. Flights have been affected by the rioting in Bangkok, causing the Suvarnabhumi airport to be shut down. Nepal is occasionally unstable and there have been cases of bombing in Delhi, India. Hong Kong was also considered, but Changis track record as a transfer hub helped tip the scales in Singapores favour. Changi Airport has well-designed facilities that will ease the transfer process for Druk passengers, says Tshering of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. Tshering also credited the Changi Airport authorities for their keen interest in establishing the air link, saying that they were very forthcoming and
accommodating in their efforts. With the direct air link in place, Bhutan is ready to market a sea-to-sky experience Bhutans Paro airport lies more than 2,000 metres above sea level, and the thrilling flight affords vistas of the snowcapped Himalayas. Flying from sea level in Singapore to Paro its a beautiful imagery, says Kinley Dorji, secretary of the Ministry of Information and Communication. Bhutans challenging terrain is the main reason why Drukairs flights wont be reciprocated by Singaporean carriers. Each of the airlines Airbus A319s is retrofitted with more powerful engines. The extra thrust is required for the steep ascent out of the airport in Paro Valley. Therefore, although Bhutans air agreements are bilateral on paper, other airlines lack the aircraft that can deal with the special conditions, giving Drukair a monopoly on scheduled international flights. Its pilots are also specially trained. They need to rely solely on their sight of the tarmac and the surrounding mountains as they zig-zag their way to or from the runway. We have to navigate the plane by sight. We dont land unless we can see the tarmac, says Tenzin Namgyal, who trained in Australia. Low clouds can suddenly obscure visibility, he adds. The weather in Paro changes very quickly it can even change every five minutes. Tour operators in Singapore and Bhutan are already gearing up for the impending flights. One of them is Karma Wangmo in Bhutan, who was on the inaugural flight to Singapore. I wanted to experience the duration and comfort level of the flight myself so that I can give better answers to my clients when they make inquiries, he says. Bhutans tourism sector has high hopes about what little Drukair can achieve over time. Ravi Nischal, general manager of the palatial Taj Tashi Thimphu Hotel, says the new links could help turn Bhutan into a 365-days destination, instead of one with a distinct low season. The mystique of Bhutan is not only for the high season. You can see it every day if you are here, he says. So maybe with the new air links and greater connectivity, we can become a year-round destination. n
The Indian connection

Bhutans economy relies heavily on imports of food, fuel and labour from India. It is a special friendship that is imposing a heavy toll on the economy.
by MARK TAY
Picture by MARK TAY BHUTANS TRADE imbalance with India forced it to restrict vegetable imports. To facilitate trade between the two countries, Bhutan pegged its currency to the Indian rupee in 1974. Although Bhutan has its own currency, the rupee is accepted as legal tender in Bhutan. Academics like Karma Galay from the Center for Bhutan Studies argue that the currency peg is necessary as India and Bhutan share similar characteristics such as factor mobility, trade integration and the ability to experience the same shocks caused by external changes. Aside from the currency peg, Bhutan is tied to India through aid. In 2010, grants from the Indian government made up 75 per cent of Bhutans total grants. India sees its eastern neighbour as a crucial ally in protecting its territories. Bhutan is strategically located between Indias northeastern states and China. But while security was a key factor in early India-Bhutan relations, economic collaboration has gradually become the focus of bilateral relations. Describing bilateral economic projects as based on mutual benefit, Indias ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan Varma, cited their joint hydropower projects as win-win propositions. We are collaborating with Bhutan to build 10 mega hydropower projects, which by 2020 are expected to generate 10,000 megawatts, he said. Bhutan has the resources to generate this power and they need the revenue. India is a powerdeficit country, and we need the power. So it is a plus-plus equation. Fully-funded by the Indian government through loans and grants construction of the first hydropower project began in the 1970s. Most of the power generated by the Chukha hydropower plant is exported to Indias eastern states like West Bengal, Bihar and Sikkim. Earnings from hydropower projects chalked up approximately 27 per cent of Bhutans total revenue in the fiscal year 2009/10. Despite exporting most of its electricity to India, Bhutan still faces a huge balance of payment deficit. The inability to repay its rupee-denominated debts has resulted in a Bhutanese currency criCONTINUED ON PAGE 24
ne may be forgiven for thinking of Bhutan as a country free of woes. After all, it boasts a unique method of national accounting Gross National Happiness while enjoying the backing of India, one of Asias most promising economies. But beneath the surface, Bhutan has less to cheer about. Its close relationship with its giant neighbour may bring more harm than good to its economy. In 2012, Bhutans inflation exceeded 13 per cent, its highest level since 2003. Inflationary pressures are expected to remain in the medium term as the countrys currency peg to the Indian rupee has resulted in the cost of imports from India rising because of a rupee currency slump. For 23-year-old waitress and mother Shacha Wangmo, a trip to the market today is about 50 per cent more expensive than a year ago. The price of chili has gone up to 120 Nu when it was only 80 Nu last year. Rice is also more expensive now, Shacha Wangmo said. While most jobs in Bhutan are found in the agriculture and farming sectors, Bhutan remains heavily dependent on Indian imports to meet its demand for meat, rice, vegetables and fruits.
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sis referred to as the rupee crunch. Until recently, Bhutans economy was blind to the severity of the rupee crunch. This problem has been building up over the past few decades and we have not done much to combat it, said Bhutanese blogger Yeshey Dorji. Since then, the government has undertaken drastic measures like banning imports of motor vehicles and vegetables to reduce the outflow of rupees. Professor Sanjeev Mehta, who teaches economics at the Royal Thimphu College, said such moves were unavoidable. He added that Bhutan was first caught in a vicious cycle of importing more when it started accepting foreign aid from India in the 1960s. With these projects from India, the income of the Bhutanese people started expanding and so did consumption People were looking forward to consuming more and without domestic production increasing, they imported more. Bhutan is currently trying to wean itself off its dependency on foreign aid by exploring the organic agriculture exports, the development of an education city in Thimphu and more run-of-theriver hydropower projects, which are less expensive. Bhutans prime minister Jigme Thinley told the Go-Far team that Bhutan aims to be free of its dependency on foreign development assistance by 2020. We have decided that the year 2020 will be the year by which time Bhutan would have become absolutely no longer dependent on foreign development assistance. Observers are closely watching for official China-Bhutan relations to develop. This would reduce Bhutans dependence on India. Academics like Prof Mehta see an improvement in China-Bhutan relations as inevitable. Old diplomatic relationships that only stood on geo-strategic aspects are changing as relations are now focusing on economic rationale instead of political rationale, he said. Given Bhutans close proximity to the worlds most populous country, he believes Bhutanese exports to China can aid the ailing Bhutanese economy. Bhutan is rightly placed to benefit from Chinas economic expansion and the Bhutanese government has to go beyond hydropower and take some bold decisions, Prof Mehta said. n
Befriending China
The benefits of closer ties are impossible to ignore.
by BHAVAN JAIPRAGAS
Map from WIKIMEDIA LANDLOCKED BHUTANS only neighbours just happen to be the two giants of Asia.
t a hillside clearing on the outskirts of Bhutans fast-modernising capital Thimphu, an upscale gated residential complex is taking shape. It is another sign of neighbouring Chinas expanding economic heft in the Himalayan kingdom. Bucking the local construction industry norm of depending fully on long-term benefactor India for material, developer Yangphel has turned its gaze across the Himalayas to China. Nearly 20 per cent of the construction material used in the $15 million project colossal by Bhutans standards is from the East Asian giant. The difference is the superior quality, the price and the range of choices. There is no reason why I wouldnt want to buy my material from China, says Kencho Tshering, who heads conglomerate Yangphels real estate arm. Guangzhou is like my second home, adds Tshering, gushing about the wide range of custom-made pipes, toilet fittings and tiles that are available in hundreds of factories in the southern Chinese city. The 47-year-old has visited China nearly two dozen times in the past five years to make orders. The enterprise of Bhutanese businessmen like Kencho Tshering, coupled with Chinas growing economic and political muscle across South Asia, is fast changing Bhutans cloistered diplomatic outlook. Once resolute in its policy to keep an arms length from the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, Prime Minister Jigme Thinley now believes Chinas growing clout as a world leader will see the kingdom grow closer to its northern neighbour, despite a longstanding border dispute. He maintains this stance even after a fresh round of talks between the two sides the 20th since 1984 to resolve conflicting territorial claims along their 470km border concluded in Au-
gust 2012 with little headway made. China has to be seen not only in terms of a country that is contiguous to Bhutan but as a world leader, he says, in an interview with Go-Far. Whether it is in the international arena or matters of international issues beyond bilateral relations, we will find ourselves interacting increasingly with China, he adds. Bhutan is the only one among Chinas 14 immediate land neighbours not to have formal diplomatic ties with Beijing. The Buddhist kingdom has a cultural affinity to Tibet, over which Beijing asserted its military power in 1959.
find ourselves interacting We will increasingly with China.

Prime Minister of Bhutan
border area. A senior royal aide says Bhutan would establish official ties with China only when the border dispute is fully resolved. We have nomadic people living in the northern border and herding yaks, says Nado Rinchen, the deputy chairman of Bhutans Royal Privy Council and a former ambassador to India. We have to protect our territory. Although still dominated by imports from India, Bhutans economy is seeing a steady rise in demand for China-made substitutes, which are cheaper even after factoring in a top tariff rate of 35 per cent. Most Indian goods are tax-free un-
Jigme Thinley
Still, many believe the main reason for Bhutans lethargy in advancing ties with China is the kingdoms special relationship with India. Located in the foothills of the Himalayas along Indias northeastern frontier with China, Bhutan is seen as providing a buffer zone between the two Asian powers. India is the aid-dependent kingdoms largest benefactor. However, Indias ambassador to Bhutan, Pavan Verma, refutes claims of Indian interference in the kingdoms foreign policy. Bhutan is a sovereign country, and the decision of whether it wishes to establish formal diplomatic relations with China is that of Bhutan, he says. The border dispute between Bhutan and China is one sticking point. The two countries signed an agreement in 1998 to maintain peace in the disputed
der a trade pact signed in 2008. China is Bhutans sixth-largest source of imports, accounting for US$11.25 million (S$14 million) worth of goods in 2010. There is a growing lobby in Bhutan keen to cultivate relations with China for business purposes, says Professor SD Muni at the Institute of South Asian Studies. Stronger Sino-Bhutan relations will come. Kencho Tshering, the developer of the sprawling residential complex in Kabesa, says businesses in the kingdom are hoping for the two countries to foster closer trade ties. India is like a big brother to us, but how can we avoid China when the rest of the world and the most powerful nations in the world are dependent on China? n
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A growing dilemma
Thimphu needs more buildings, fast. But this is placing strain on its goal of sustainable development. Photojournalist IVAN TAN wanders the streets to see how the city is coping.
CONSTRUCTION AT the 5-star Bhutan Hotel Private Limited go deep into the night to meet tight schedules. The hotel is one of many that has sprung up in Bhutans capital to meet increasing tourism numbers.
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A CONSTRUCTION worker uses rudimentary methods to align the third floor of the Hotel Thimpu Tower. Poor systems of measurement and unskilled labour have made engineering accuracy hard to achieve.
I
I BOUGHT these helmets for my workers, but they are not used to it, says Singay Jhamtso, 34, construction manager at Hotel Thimphu Tower.
t is 10pm in Thimphu. The sounds of hammers, drills and men shouting in Hindi are heard in the heart of the city. With bare hands, no protective gear and sweat-soaked shirts, Bigoyhlabar and around 40 other Indian workers are working at the site of what is to be Bhutans fourth five-star hotel. There is nothing alien about this scene. The rush to finish work at Bhutans fourth five-star hotel by February 2013 is reflective of a construction boom that has engulfed the fast growing city. But as the Himalayan kingdom slowly trades its pastoral face for
concrete, the question is whether Thimphu long renowned for retaining its authentic charm is building too fast for its own good. Seven to eight years ago, the city grew organically and at a natural pace, says Phub Rinzin, Chief Engineer at the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement. Today, the momentum is so fast I feel like Im living abroad again. Since the introduction of a government plan to institutionalize city planning in 2002, Thimphu has been growing at an unprecedented pace. Supported by strong funding from India,
the government also released tenders for infrastructure such as roads and utility pipelines. Increasing rural-urban migration and an influx of tourists has also placed tremendous strains on housing. The government plan simultaneously introduced the land pooling concept, with 30 per cent of the land owned by Bhutanese given to the government for public works. The housing colonies and many extended areas outside the city core were
WHILE WORKPLACE safety regulations are in place, they are loose and not stringently enforced. Indian workers are often seen working in slippers, and without gloves or protective headgear.
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all constructed from padi fields that were pooled from the people, says Rinzin. The plan was very unpopular when it was announced, but it really provided the catalyst for the construction boom we are experiencing in Thimphu today, he adds. The rise in the number of construction projects has proved costly. Prices for raw materials such as timber, bricks and sand are steeply rising due to a severe supply shortage. Local saw mills such as the Army Welfare Saw Mill typically receive orders of more than 10,000 cubic feet of timber a month, but only gets an average of 1,000 to 1,400 cubic feet of stock from the Forest Division.
The result is a black market that drives up prices of timber illegally, says Yeshi Wangchuck, accounts officer at the Army Welfare Saw Mill. Even though prices are pegged by the government at 279 Nu per cubic feet, there are many other saw mills across the country that are illegally charging as much as 450 Nu per cubic feet, he adds. Construction of a typical two-storey house requires about 7,000 to 10,000 cubic feet of timber. Timber from mis conifers and blue pine is popular for traditional construction work. The wood from these trees insulate buildings from the cold, and are more stable during earthquakes. Tim-
ber makes up almost 30 per cent of a typical Bhutanese construction. It is an important part of the buildings facade, which must conform to strict architectural guidelines. Roofs must have specific rows of wooden shuttering correlating to the number of levels of the building, explains Tandin Dorji, a senior architect at the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement. Bhutanese windows and roofs have to look a certain way, and any foreign architects must be backed up by a Bhutanese one. In addition to rules preserving tradiCONTINUED ON PAGE 32
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: KINGA TSHERING, 45, reprimands foreman Mondel, 28, about sloppy work done on Hotel Thimpu Towers third floor. Poor systems of measurement and unskilled labour have made engineering accuracy hard to achieve. Bhutans construction industry is heavily reliant on Indian workers as most Bhutanese shun blue-collared jobs. BHUTANS FIRST Supreme Court is being built in the capital. Fully funded by the Indian government, its construction is seen as a significant step in the monarchys move towards democracy. RANGER GYELTSHEN, 51, checks the accounts and blueprints at Yangphel conglomerates mega real estate project at Kabesa. The Forest Division ranger ensures that construction companies do not log trees illegally. They also advise site managers on how to introduce and maintain plants and trees in and around their construction sites.
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Ultimately, our culture and our forests will disappear. Its the people we have to count on.
Mr Kinga Tshering
Chief Executive Officer DHI Infra
SINCE THE adoption of the Thimpu Structural Plan in 2002, there has been a boom in the construction of houses, hotels and schools. The capitals location in a valley means that its buildings are susceptible to landslides.
-tional designs, the construction industry is also bound by strict controls on logging. The constitution states that 60 percent of the country must remain forested. Government agencies such as the Forest Division ensure that constructions are protecting Bhutans rich greeneries. A visit to Yangphel real estate construction site coincided with a rangers surprise visit. Ranger Gyeltshen was not only there to ensure that illegal logging was not taking place, he also advised Yangphels management on the best species of grasses and fauna to plant in the area. Bhutan needs to strike a balance between sustainability and development.
What we are still lacking is a system that ensures proper work and construction safety. Many contractors are damaging the environment without knowing so, and our workers are not following proper safety protocols like wearing helmets, says Phub Rinzin. Kinga Tshering, CEO of DHI Infra, shares Phub Rinzins sentiments. He feels that the choices facing Bhutan involve difficult decisions, but these cannot be avoided. Ultimately, our culture and our forests will disappear, he adds, its the people that we have to count on. n
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE LEFT: GYELTSHEN is a ranger with the Forest Division. He monitors construction sites to ensure that illegal logging does not take place. PHUB RINZIN graduated from an Australian college and is now the Chief Engineer of the Engineering Services Division. His department provides engineering support to public projects such as sanitation, roadworks and hydropower. He hopes to be able to create a proper safety and construction protocol for Bhutan in the future. TANDIN DORJI has worked as a senior architect in the Ministry of Works and Human Settlement for the past five years. In a department of only five architects, their work load has been increasing over the past few years. They design key government projects ranging from housing to royal structures. TASHICHOZOM is a sales assistant at Beautiful Homes Toto toilet and bath showroom. Although she sees only a few customers every month, their purchases are usually huge. All of the goods are imported through a Singaporean distributor.
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Power on tap
Blessed with abundant, fast flowing water, Bhutan is banking on hydropower to boost its development.
by LEONARD HOW
hutan is a land of oddities. It is one of the worlds slowest-developing countries and simultaneously the happiest; its forest cover is advancing instead of retreating, and it boasts the human phallus as a cultural and religious symbol. Another curious fact: this small, landlocked minion of South Asia is, quite literally, a powerhouse for parts of neighbouring India. Thanks to its abundance of glacial lakes, rivers and tributaries, hydropower is big business in Bhutan. In 2011, 45 per cent of the kingdoms revenue came from its hydropower sector alone, making up 20 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product (GDP), according to Druk Green Power Corporation, the countrys hydropower authority. (Thats equiva-
lent to the manufacturing sectors contribution to Singapores GDP.) Today, Bhutan generates around 1,480 MW of power, nearly four times its national need of 400 MW, and sells the bulk of it to India. The southern neighbour has provided financing for nearly all of its hydropower projects. Further capitalising on its wealth of glacial lakes and monsoon-fed rivers, Bhutan plans to increase its generative capacity to 10,000 MW by building 10 new hydropower plants by 2020. We have only begun to tap our hydropower development potential, Prime Minister Jigme Thinley told the Go-Far team. We want to develop hydropower energy potential as quickly as possible, and as a green form of energy. It is not necessarily green, but the way
Picture by LEONARD HOW DASHO Chhewang Rinzin is general manager of Druk Green Power Corporation and oversees the countrys hydropower development.
it is generated here in Bhutan runof-the-river schemes it is very ecofriendly. All of Bhutans current hydropower plants are of the run-of-the-river type, which rely on natural river flow to generate power. Because of the absence of large dams and reservoirs, damage to the environment is minimal. It is an approach carefully designed to fit within the countrys strict focus on environmental conservation: its Constitution mandates that at least 60 per cent of its land area has to be kept under forest cover, explains Vijay Mokhtan, director of conservation at the WWF Bhutan. This is important because both the countrys largest income generators, hydropower and tourism, are heavily dependent on its natural environment. Maintaining adequate forest cover is essential to capturing the rains that feed the rivers, Vijay Mokhtan says. Two of Bhutans 10 new projects are notable for being the countrys first reservoir dams. It is a significant change in tack from its approach of using run-ofthe-river schemes. The government says the reservoirs are necessary given that run-of-the-river dams are heavily reliant on seasonal monsoon rains. When rainfall drops dramatically during the winter months, hydroelectric output falls to below 300 MW. Reservoirs alleviate the problem by storing excess water during the monsoon periods, which is then released during the dry season. Chhewang Rinzin, managing director of Druk Green Power Corporation, explains this will allow its plants to maintain regular output during winter. Our valleys are not like the valleys
in Europe and other countries that are wide open; our valleys are very narrow. So when you talk about reservoir schemes, we are not talking about covering that much land. Our areas under submergence are very small, Chhewang Rinzin says. Druk Green manages the countrys hydropower plants and oversees hydropower development. The resulting low human displacement numbers is a hydropower developers dream: just 50 families were relocated in preparation for the Punatsangchhu reservoir project. Tenzin Lamzang, an investigative journalist at the countrys largest private newspaper, notes that this is already an abnormally high figure compared to the typically 10 to 20 families that are have been relocated for other projects. Of course, these numbers are a far cry from the 1.2 million people displaced during the construction of Chinas Three Gorges Dam. The government has been adamant that its plans for its two reservoir dams the Sunkosh and Punakha Reservoir projects are safe. But Vijay Mokhtan demurred on the validity of the claims, only saying that the country tries to minimise impact to the environment through sustainable hydropower. We dont say no to hydropower, because hydropower is a lifeline for this country, he said. Energy committees in the country have explored other forms of renewable energy such as wind and solar, but hydropower still comes out top. Wind power is thought to be impractical due to inconsistent wind flows, Chhewang Rinzin said. Furthermore, having large windmills dotting the countrys pristine hills and mountainsides would be an eyesore. Solar energy is too expensive to introduce on a large scale. If you want to do a 1 MW solar plant, you need two acres of land. We own about 200 acres of land at Tala [Hydropower Plant], producing 1,000 MW. So thats around one acre of land for every 5 MW, says Chhewang Rinzin. At any given time, wind is about three times the cost of hydro; solar would be around five to six times. When you can buy electricity from hydropower at 4 cents, who will want to pay 10, or 16 cents? n
En route to the famed Tigers Nest at 3,300 metres above sea level, a waterfall offers trekkers a cooling respite. Picture by RONALD LOH
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People over profits

Bhutan is attracting individuals from around the world to set up social enterprises.
by LEE JIAN XUAN
hen Ian Shackle first agreed to manage the Thimphu Tech Park project in Bhutan, the last thing he expected was that he would consider putting down roots in the country. But when the project was done and dusted, the Australian, who is in his 50s, found himself wanting to stay on and make a difference in the little kingdom he had grown to love. Drawing on his passion for horticulture, Shackle, or Shax as he is known to friends, founded Landscape Bhutan, a social enterprise providing landscaping and gardening services, the first of its kind in the country. I had a passion for the country and landscaping, and I had the business acumen for it, he said. Bhutan is at a point where it is emerging into the 21st century. This is a country where theres not much cynicism, which hasnt been caught up by rampant consumerism yet, and the people are still innocent. The Bhutanese government subjects all plans for foreign investment to a rigorous screening process, to ensure that they comply with the countrys unique Gross National Happiness (GNH) development philosophy Companies are forbidden from large-scale activities that might harm the envi-
IAN SHACKLETON used to work in Australia but was drawn to the idea of setting up a social enterprise in Bhutan. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG ronment and employment opportunities must be given to locals. The unique thing we have in Bhutan is that for any activity, government or private, it needs environmental clearance, said Sonam Tshering, Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Affairs. And after, it goes through GNH clearance, which studies it in a holistic way. Such stringent rules may hinder it from attracting large-scale foreign investment. But the same rules, which adhere to GNHs emphasis on sustainability, have made the country a haven for social enterprises business models that prioritize environmental and social benefits over profits. One such example is Shaxs Landscape Bhutan, comprising of him and his six local
employees. The company, he said, taps into a niche market that has not yet been explored gardening services. Bhutan is so rich botanically, but its rare to find gardens here because people dont know much about horticulture, he said, revealing that he was in talks to provide landscaping services for two five-star hotels downtown in Thimphu. But getting a social enterprise off the ground is not easy. Financing is a daunting challenge the country places 170th out of 183 economies in the World Banks rating for ease of obtaining credit. Its overall ranking for ease of doing business is 142nd, behind neighbours Bangladesh and Nepal. Another major challenge is the lack of infrastructure, which is especially crucial in mountainous Bhutan. Getting trained staff is another problem. Shax said he recognizes the need to upgrade his workers. He said he is even prepared to pay out of his own pocket for his two best employees to attend university and study horticulture. I dont want to grow big and have franchises. I want to be part of GNH, to employ locals and educate them, he said. If we can help the country grow and provide employment, even if I have competitors, thats fine. Ill be happy for them. n
A WEEKEND archery competition. Archery is the national sport. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
Contentment versus competition

Like other nations, Bhutan dreams of glory in international sports. But how does this yen for success square with its national philosophy to find zen-like happiness?
by RONALD LOH
hen Sherab Zam and Kunzang Choden returned from London following another fruitless Olympics, they brought home a feeling that is becoming all too familiar to Bhutans sports fans the agony of defeat. Archer Sherab Zam failed to make it past the first round, while Kunzang Choden missed qualification in the 10m air rifle event by 16 points. Although respectable compared with the 20-0 drubbing of the national football team by Kuwait back in the 2000 Asian Cup qualifiers, there was no denying the disappointment after both Olympians were eliminated so quickly. Sherab is capable of much better, perhaps she needed a little more exposure, laments Ugyen Rinzin, President of the Bhutan Archery Federation.
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have to be competitive in sports, We otherwise there is no point in forming a national team.

Bhutan Football Federation general secretary
Ugyen Wangchhuck
IT is not uncommon for football players to share the field with wandering cows. Picture by MARK TAY
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In just under 30 years, Bhutan has evolved from a nation that was happy to do its own thing behind closed doors, to one that dares to dream of success only to taste bitter defeat on the international stage. The state of sports in Bhutan is emblematic of the kingdoms struggle to strike a balance between zen-like contentment, and a yen for progress. Contentment lies within you, not an external source, notes senior official Kinley Dorji, a noted spokesman for Gross National Happiness. But exposure to the world is changing peoples attitudes. We have to be competitive in sports, otherwise there is no point in forming a national team, says Ugyen Wangchhuck, secretary general of the Bhutan Football Federation. Winning always makes us happy. Pride may have swelled in the Hima-
to believe in their own form of happiness. But I think thats wrong, because no one should want to lose in sports, says Ugyen. As for the national sport of archery, the record has been equally bleak. Traditional archery is widely popular with the masses, deeply rooted as part of the Bhutanese culture. With many eager, and able, to wield the bow and arrow, it seemed like a perfect fit when the country adapted to modern archery and international rules in order to compete on the world stage. Yet, no Bhutanese archer has gotten past the second round at the Olympics. Still, officials are hopeful. The new president of the Bhutan Olympic Committee (BOC) is the kings younger brother, Prince Jigyel Ugyen Wangchuck. The princes appointment is seen as a strong endorsement.
Picture by IVAN TAN POOR TRAINING facilities have not helped Bhutans sporting growth. Thimphu-based football clubs, for instance, have to share a muddy, barren football field with other teams during training. with mud. We need the fullest support from the government if we are to improve. Footballer Bedadema of the womens national team agrees: We have friends interested in sports, but many of them feel that there isnt much career opportunities in sports and drop out. BOCs secretary-general Sonam Karma Tshering acknowledges that sports have suffered long neglect. But today, we have a strategic long-term plan in place for the next 20 years, and the government has promised the necessary funding, he says. The main goal for now to increase the supply of athletes. For the 2010 Asian games in Guangzhou, we only had a pool of eight archers and 12 boxers to choose from, he says. In order to generate a continuous supply of elite athletes, Bhutan will first target the grassroots and youths. The archery federation hopes to award eight sports scholarships to students after a national talent search. If we can get people at the grassroots interested in and playing sports, elite athletes will inevitably happen, says Sonam. Sports facilities are also set to be improved, most notably with two full-sized artificial-turf football fields in Thimphu. The BOC has also reeled in help from abroad, signing Memorandums of Understanding with countries such as Denmark and South Korea. The exchange of know-hows and ideas will help us greatly, together with the support in building our infrastructure and equipment, said Dr Kinzang Dorji. What counts as progress remains disputed. Sporting success should not be benchmarked against the silverware won, insists former Prime Minister Kinzang Dorji, who now heads the Bhutan Indigenous Games and Sports Association. Our 20-year strategic plan for sports development that we published last year states nothing about winning medals or trophies, he says. Instead, we believe in the inherent health and moral benefits that sports can bring to the larger population. Dr Kinzang Dorji believes a compromise can be struck between finding inner contentment and striving for success in the competitive climate of global sport. With regard to boosting national ego through sports, I can fully understand that. But we realise there are certain things we cannot achieve, he says. We have always tried to balance the two extremes and found a middle path, which has stood us well so far. n
If we can get people at the grassroots interested elite

National women footballer
athletes will inevitably happen.

Bedadema
layan nation when its first batch of Olympians took part in Athens in 1984, but today Bhutanese want decent performances, not mere participation. When I first played for the national team, we were up against a country that was way above us. The focus then was about our participation because it was true that we didnt stand a chance as we just started playing, says Ugyen. But that mentality has to change, he says. If we are going there just for participation today, then its as good as saying were going there to lose. Losing is something of a habit in football, which is the most popular sport in Bhutan. The national team was thrashed 8-1 by Afghanistan in a South Asian championship in December. There were reports that the players did not mind, since Bhutanese are said
Its an interesting time for sports in Bhutan, says Ugyen Rizin. In the governments 11th five-year plan, sports initiatives will be included for the first time. They include sports education in schools, increased funding for the federations, and the improvement of the countrys sporting facilities. If the plans materialise, it will be a major boost for athletes who now work with facilities that possibly make a Singaporean junior college look like an Olympic venue. For example, the Thimphu-based footballers train on a muddy, grassless pitch at Changjiji. To make matters worse, clubs are often seen sharing the limited space with at least two other teams during training sessions. Weve still got a long way to go, says Yeedzin FC striker Yeshey Dorji, 25, after a training session, his boots caked
Picture by IVAN TAN THE PRODUCTION of successful elite athletes remains a dream for Bhutan as the nation struggles to promote interest in professional sporting careers.
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Picture by NUR ASYIQIN BTE MOHAMAD SALLEH FARMER KENCHO has been farming since his father took him out to the fields as a young boy, but does not wish the same for his children. The 59-year-old usually tends to his padi field alone, and the crops from his harvest go solely to feeding his family.
The flight from farms

With youth increasingly disdainful of rural life, Bhutan has to balance its dreams of modernisation with its goal of food self-sufficiency.
by LEONARD HOW
F PHEYDUE had had his way, he would never have been a farmer. He had dreams of going to school, landing a comfortable job, marrying a nice girl. But, when school was a threehour walk from home and there were no proper roads, leaving home simply wasnt an option. So I didnt go to school and stayed in my village, he says. And I became a farmer. Today, Pheydue tends to his one-acre farm in Punakha district, growing mostly beans, rice, chillies and corn mainly just to feed his family. His farmhouse is a quaint, anachronistic affair: a garish red refrigerator sits in the kitchen, while a centuries-old wooden box stores rice from his harvests.
Bhutans philosophy of happiness is very much rooted in its countryside, with its culture of interdependence and its closeness to nature. However, the reality is that many of the countrys farmers, like 60-year-old Pheydue, remain in agriculture out of necessity, having no other means to put food on the table. With every stride the government makes in bringing schools, roads and the Internet to the countryside, more newly educated youths are packing up and leaving for the cities. While 60 per cent of the population still depend on farming, agriculture now faces a labour crisis. The hollowing out of farms jeopardises the countrys ambitions to be self-sufficient in
basic foods. In addition, it complicates the pursuit of Gross National Happiness (GNH). A lot of Bhutanese values that underpin GNH have a very agrarian, rural setting to it, notes Karma Tshiteem, secretary to the countrys GNH Commission. So of course, with modernisation and urbanisation there are challenges of translation. The Bhutanese government hopes to boost the sector by making farming more lucrative. One ambitious plan is to make food production completely organic by 2020 so that Bhutan will be known worldwide as an organic brand. Wealthy neighbours China and India, home to affluent and discerning consumer segments beginning to worry about what they eat, are prime targets. Most of the countrys agricultural produce is already grown organically by default, since chemical fertilisers and pesticides are too costly for most farmers. The aim now is to take the best practices from commercial farming and merge them with Bhutans traditional practices to produce the best yield. Critics are quick to point out that the high cost and comparatively lower yields of organic farming may thwart Bhutans goal to attain food self-sufficiency by 2015. However, the advantages of international certification will more than make up for the shortfalls, Department of Agricultural and Marketing Cooperatives director Dorji Dradhul insists. The second half of Bhutans strategy is to move farmers from traditionally labour-intensive, low-income subsistence farming to market-driven commercial agriculture. The overwhelming majority of Bhu-
tanese farms operate on a subsistence basis, with farmers only sowing and harvesting enough to feed their families and keeping little else for sale. Despite the opportunities Bhutans education system has brought to its population, it is clear the education boom is the reason for the nations flight from farms. Minister for Agriculture Lyonpo Pema Gyamtsho says: The success of our education system has pushed the outmigration of youth from the rural areas, and the content of the education was geared, initially, towards people getting whitecollar jobs. Compounding that is the fact that there are no high schools or colleges in the villages, he adds. Children, if they want to go beyond Class 10 to Class 12, to high school, they have to come out of their locality to a new place. Because of the cost involved, youth who do not do well in school avoid returning home to the family farm, driven away by the embarrassment of failure and lured by the hope of landing an office job in the city. In response, Bhutans agriculture and education ministries teamed up in 2000 to reintroduce the School Agriculture Programme (SAP) to the school curriculum. The programme aims to educate youth on the dignity of labour and give them some farming experience. Students from six to 14 spend up to five hours a week on practical sessions involving agricultural tools and practices, according to Dezang Dorji, director of the School Agriculture Feeding and Environment Division, which administers the SAP. Some of the people have called farming uglyculture when you farm, you
Picture by LEONARD HOW FARMER PHEYDUE works on a one-acre farm he obtained through a land grant from Bhutans fourth king. The 60-year-old lives with his wife and youngest daughter in a farmhouse he built with his wife over 40 years ago. become ugly, he says. The SAPs aim is to counteract the concept that farming is dirty or unbecoming. Yesh Galley, principal of Punakha Higher Secondary School, one of Bhutans top ten schools, admits that youth increasingly see no prospect in vocational work. Given the chance, they will not go back, even with all these dignity of labour programmes, he says. Pheydues quiet farmhouse beside the Punakha River stands testimony to that national trend. His children have flown the nest: his two sons have landed jobs in the military and the civil service, while two of his daughters have married and now live in Thimphu. His remaining daughter, 18, lives with him and his wife, but does not help on the farm much as she has to go to school. He says he will have to hire someone to tend the farm when he and his wife die. Like any parent, he does not want his own hard past to be his childrens future. He says his biggest dream for his children was for them to be happy and to be whatever they want. Whatever is the present life for me, I hope it will be better in the future for them. n
ON VIDEO
BHUTAN AIMS to make all its food production organic by 2020. Whatever comes out of Bhutan will be organic, says Prime Minister Jigme Thinley. Weve already started on this very seriously, and were making very good progress. Go-Fars video team explored organic farming in Bhutan. Visit www.gofar.sg/bhutan to watch their story.
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City of dreams and despair

Migrants from the countryside may be jobless and alone, but community projects are trying to recreate the community spirit.
by LEE JIAN XUAN
t first glance, 21-year-old Jigme Dorji does not look like a community leader. With tattoos snaking down both his arms, dyed hair tied into a small ponytail and a Bob Marley necklace, he resembles more the many youngsters loitering on the streets of Thimphu. But the two-time ex-convict is the vice-president of a grassroots group in Changjiji, the largest low-income housing colony on the outskirts of Bhutans capital. They chose me because I am an active member, and I can represent the youths best, says Tag, as he is known among friends. The need for youth outreach in Changjiji is pressing. The neighbour-
hood is a magnet for migrants longing to escape the raw and humble life of Bhutans small farming villages. When the bright lights of the city prove illusory, some turn to gang violence, alcoholism and drug abuse. Just this May, a man was stabbed to death and two others were slashed during a drunken brawl. Changjiji has had emerging youth problems, with rising trends in drug abuse and crime, says Yandey Penjor, 51, executive director of the Bhutan Youth Development Fund, a non-profit group that works with youths across the country. Most of these crimes are committed by youths who have left high school but are unable to find work, says Sonam Lhamo, 25, a worker at the Youth Information Centre (YIC) in Changjiji. They have nothing to do, so they
start to make trouble here, she adds. Then they get drunk easily so we have theft cases, tyres getting slashed and boys fighting at night. Tag used to be part of their ranks. Shortly after dropping out of school in 2006, he landed himself in prison where he got his tattoos for fighting alongside his Sunday Market Gang, one of Thimphus several street gangs. Thats how I got my nickname. My friends call me Tag because I tag in to help my friends fight, like in wrestling, he says. Youth misbehaviour is just the most extreme and visible of the social problems that one sees in Changjiji. The bigger issue is how to absorb the thousands
LEFT: (From left to right) YESHLEY Jitse Dorji, 17, Sonam Lepo Chopel, 24 and Jigme Tag Dorji, 21, high school dropouts and reformed gangsters who are now training to be youth leaders in Changjiji. It is common for street gangs in Thimphu to assign such monikers to their members, as they are considered to be more contemporary and hip. Picture by RONALD LOH TOP: Community leaders are working with the government to convert Changjijis spaces to parks and playgrounds where residents and their children can gather and socialise. Picture by LEE JIAN XUAN
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who flock to the city from the countryside. A national census in 2005 revealed that more than 15 per cent of the population had moved from rural into urban areas. Many are drawn by the prospect of white-collar occupations that are less strenuous than working in the fields. But most of the available jobs are on Thimphus many construction sites back-breaking work that is left mainly to migrant workers from India. As a result, a government survey last year found that the unemployment rate in urban areas was higher at 5.8 per cent, compared with 2.1 per cent in rural regions.
Changjiji was set up by the government-linked National Housing Development Corporation (NHDC) to house the urban poor. According to residents and youth workers, its population has swelled beyond the official estimates of 5,000 and is probably at least 8,000. Although each unit roughly the size of a two-room flat in Singapore is meant to accommodate eight people, it is common to find 10 or more occupants crowded into one flat, as the GoFar team discovered. Water shortages, common throughout Thimphu, have also plagued the neighbourhood, which only receives water for four hours a day. Over the years, such reported issues
EVERY MORNING, residents have a four-hour window for water collection. During this period, they have to collect and store enough water to last the day. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
have resulted in a poor public perception of Changjiji. Critics have slammed it as a failed urban colony, holding it up as an embodiment of Bhutans urbanisation woes. Observers note that while the countryside may be poor, rural communities have strong social safety nets because of their traditions of community self-help. In contrast, many city-dwellers must face their problems alone. There is a concern that they dont know each other because in urbanised areas, people tend to be individualistic, says NHDC managing director Ugyen Chewang, 42. That is where various community building projects come in. Even as the municipality office has been trying to improve water supplies, the NHDC has allocated more land for amenities such as a park and playground. Meanwhile, the YIC has organized volunteer programmes and sports competitions like futsal and basketball tournaments to attract at-risk youths living in the area. Tag, an avid soccer player, whose walls at home are adorned with the medals he has won at local competitions, is one such example. Actually, the situation has improved. Its just that we still have a bad image, says Sonam Lhamo. People in Thimphu look at Changjiji and think it is dangerous, dirty, crowded. Observers say progress sped up after last December, when 25 community captains, or tshogpas as they are known in the native language, were elected to form the Changjiji Association. Their first order of business was to get residents out of their houses for a neighbourhood-wide cleaning campaign, giving them a chance to interact while tidying up common areas. They have since made it a monthly affair. We keep track of who attends the cleaning and we check on the members who are not present, said President Phurpa Wangdi, President of the Changjiji Association. The tshogpas also came up with other ideas to improve the community, such as building a street cafe and planting flowers and shrubs. A recovered drug addict, Tag proposed a community-wide weeding of marijuana plants, which are smoked by locals as recreational drugs and can lead to addic-
AN APARTMENT block in Changjiji houses 12 two-room units on three floors. According to housing regulations, the maximum occupancy of each apartment is eight, however, it is not rare to see units with 10 occupants. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG tion, as fees for tertiary education are too expensive. Most NGO programmes are able to offer only unpaid volunteer training, which organisers hope will equip the youths with skills to earn a livelihood. It gets difficult for them sometimes having to work without pay, but its rewarding when you see them go forward in life, says Sonam Lhamo, citing an example of a dropout she mentored who eventually travelled to Bangkok for further training and returned to work in the food and beverage industry. In September, Tag delivered the speech at the opening ceremony of the newly constructed neighborhood park which was developed as a community project. He hopes it will inspire more residents to take ownership of Changjiji and get involved. Other people and organisations cant do it for us, he says. We are the people living here, we have to do it. n
Actually the situation has improved. Its just that we have a bad image.
Sonam Lhamo
Social worker
tion. Other residents have come up with informal initiatives such as sharing water to cope with the daily rationing, and taking care of neighbours houses when they are away. However, not everything has been smooth sailing. Community efforts often lack funding, as government re-
sources are currently dedicated to meeting housing demands in the capital. Fundraising at the grassroots level is difficult, since most families barely survive on a monthly income of less than Nu. 10,000 (S$220). Furthermore, there is little chance for most dropouts to resume their educa-
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Internal migration may take Bhutanese far from home, but some can still count on their loved ones. Photojournalist Goh Chay Teng meets a family whose members have been able to lean on one another in their new urban surroundings.
Ties that bind

I
n 2005, Karma Dema, then 16 years old, left her family and village in Eastern Bhutan for a new life in the capital. She was part of a huge migration movement: her region experienced a 27 per cent migration rate. Bhutans rural-urban migration rate the highest in South Asia shows no signs of slowing. The urban population has grown twice as fast as the national population. Many are worried that this trend is pulling at the fabric of the traditionally tightly knit Bhutanese family. But these worries may underestimate the resilience of families. For 23-yearold Karma Dema, leaving home has only served to show the strength of familial bonds. When she faced difficulty settling
down in Thimphu, she was able to count on her family members. Still unable to find a job, Karma Dema is fully dependent on her brother and husband. Her brother, Sonam Chopel, 28, pays the rent and utility bill of the three-bedroom apartment that they share, meanwhile her husband, Sonam Phuntsho, 24, pays for household necessities like groceries. Karmas husband and her mother, Dema, 65, have also been helping her look after the baby, allowing Karma the time to attend self-improvement courses. Family means a lot to me, she said. They are vital to my life. Without the support of my family, I would have been so scared on my own. I will not be able to live in Thimphu without my family. n
LEFT: DINNERS at Karma Demas home are a family affair. In addition to her immediate family members, they include cousins and their spouses, all of whom have come to Thimphu to seek better lives.
ABOVE: KARMA (in pink and blue) and her classmates. They spend their lunch hour in an empty corridor sharing food brought from home, as the cafeteria food is too expensive.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: AFTER A full day of classes at the Youth Development Fund office/centre, Karma spends her free time in the evening relaxing in front of the television. While between jobs, she attends an entrepreneurship workshop, organised by the Bhutan Youth Fund, for self-enrichment. KARMAS MOTHER Dema left her husband and village for Thimphu especially to take care of her grandson. With her caring for baby Khasum, Karma and her husband, Sonam, are both free to attend class and work, respectively. Childcare centres are rare in Bhutan and children not old enough to go to school are usually looked after by their grandparents. EARLY IN the morning, before the rest of the family make their way to class and to work, Dema prepares lunch for her children to bring with them. Besides caring for her grandson, she also takes charge of cooking and cleaning for the household when there is no one around to do it. SONAM TAKES over caregiving duties whenever he has the day off from work. Karma considers herself lucky to have a husband like Sonam. Even though he is not earning a lot, he is working very hard to take care of me and our baby. When I have to go to the YDF and he has to take care of the baby, he does not complain, she says. Sonam and Karma met in Thimphu through a telephone call when a mutual friend had given Sonam Karmas number. One year after they married, Karma gave birth to their son.
ON VIDEO
THE Go-Far video team looks at how Thimphus new residents pursue their own ideals of happiness. Visit www.gofar.sg/bhutan to watch their story.
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Beyond the paper chase

Bhutan is struggling to fix a mismatch between the aspirations of better-educated youths and the jobs that are opening up.
by CASSANDRA YEAP
t 7.30 am each morning, students in Punakha Higher Secondary School pick up their brooms, dustpans and rags, and set about scrubbing the desks and sweeping the corridors of their school. But just metres from the campus gates, youths a few years older loiter along the streets with their friends, swelling the ranks of young people who refuse to take up jobs as labourers. Principal Yesh Ghaley says that his school, just like any other in Bhutan, aims to instill the value of manual jobs, or the dignity of labour, in its students. Despite such programmes, and a youth unemployment rate of 9.2 percent, young job seekers prefer to hold out for office jobs. The major problem is a mismatch between the skills of the job seekers and available jobs, says Minister for Labour and Human Resources Dorji Wangdi. Overwhelmingly, job seekers at the ministrys five Employment Services Centres name the civil service as their first choice, followed by government-owned corporations and big private companies. As a result, construction projects rely mainly on Indian workers. Replacing all imported labour in the country would require 75,000 additional
Bhutanese. From vocational training centres, we produce around 400 each year just imagine what we are going to do with that snails speed, says the minister. Kinley Penjor is the principal of one such institute, the Khuruthang Institute of Electrical Engineering. Of the roughly 200 plus students that his institute takes in each year, aged 18 to 21, none of them has come by choice. Most of the students could not qualify for higher studies and had to resort to the technical institutes. Part of his job is cajoling and encouraging them to have a sense of the worth of the work they are taught to do. Presently were having a tough time with the mindset. Because the real truth is that [students] look down on blue collar jobs, he says. High school principal Yesh Ghaley blames the unrealistic expectations of the youth partly on external influences, like television programmes. A Hindi movie on television was what inspired Lemo, 23, to want to be a lawyer. But after failing to qualify for high school, she sought training at the Nalzhoen Pelri Centre, which was set up to help unemployed girls. She now works in a production unit there weaving and embroidering souvenirs that are sold at the airport and in Thimphu. She prefers her present occupation to her childhood dream, but her instructor
In the late 1980s, he was in a group of educators granted an audience with the fourth king. At the kings request, they were to draw up a values-based education that helped kickstart many mainstays of Bhutans schools, like the cleaning of campuses. But somewhere along the way, many schools lost sight of the purpose of such practices. His colleague Dorji Tshewang is trying to bring schools back to his original vision through a new teaching philosophy. Called Educating for Gross National Happiness, it encourages teachers to practise values by example. Ironically, the benevelont monarchy and GNH-driven government may have led to youths developing a sense of entitlement. Education is free in Bhutan up to Grade 10, and certain groups of students like boarders are paid stipends. When they walk into the centre, they ask We would like to learn this, and how much are you paying me?, notes Nong Dorji. Now that the government is opening up the economy, the shift to market forces is leaving people at a loss, she adds. The government has been looking after the people for a long time. Now youre on your own. People dont know how to do business, they are not prepared. n Nong Dorji, 60, says handicraft work is sometimes stigmatized because of the foreign tailors who have set up shop in Thimphu. Royal Thimphu Colleges Economics professor Sanjeev Mehta says the education sector is not meeting the needs of the economy. Universities are like machines that churn out similar graduates on an annual basis whether they are needed in the market or not, he says. Wangchuk Rabten, a curriculum specialist with the Ministry of Education, has been driving a pilot programme of vocational skills training courses that started in five schools last year. Its aim is to introduce practical courses while students are still in school so graduates can easily pick up apprenticeships later. Top: Samten Dorji (left) and Damba Thapa are instructors at the Khuruthhang Institute of Electrical Engineering. In the past ten-odd years that they have been teaching, none of their students have come to the institute by choice. Left: Yesh Ghaley is the principal of Punakha Higher Secondary School. Although his school emphasises holistic assessment, he admits more youths see no prospect in vocational work. Right: (L-R) Indramaya Tamang, Lemo, Sangay Wangmo, and Karma Choden produce handicrafts for the Nalzhoen Pelri centre, where they sought training after they did not qualify for high school. Pictures by GOH CHAY TENG
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Land of bountiful bans

The quest for happiness doesnt always give individuals the freedom to choose.
by MARK TAY
ETTING four-year-old Pema Choeyang out of bed and ready for school on Tuesdays is no easy task for her father Kencho Tshering.
They live just a 20-minute drive away from the school, but Tuesday is Pedestrians Day, which means their Toyota Hilux must remain at home. Young Pema has to wake up a full three hours before school starts at 9am in order to beat the crowds in search of a taxi. For many Bhutanese like Pemas family, Monday blues have turned into terrible Tuesdays, when private cars are banned from city centres. Pedestrians Day is just one of Bhutans restrictive laws that reveal the governments paternalistic tendencies. It may have lifted the countrys ban on television in 1999 and become a democ-
THIMPHU is still the only capital city in the world that does not need traffic lights, but traffic congestion is forcing authorities to introduce more and more rules. One of the most controversial is Pedestrians Day: private cars are banned from city streets on Tuesdays. Picture by IVAN TAN
Picture by MARK TAY A NEPALI couples makeshift Christian chapel in Thimphu. Although the Constitution protects freedom of religion and the state is secular, only Buddhism and Hinduism are officially recognised.
racy in 2008, but the kingdom today has a cigarette ban, strict regulation of religious practices and a national dress code for all locals. In a less idyllic setting, some of the rules might seem almost dictatorial. But here, they add to Bhutans quaint charm, showing the governments refusal to be swept along by the tide of globalisation. While some societies equate happiness with individual choice, Bhutans notion of well-being is more communitarian. But officials acknowledge that most bans cannot be watertight or permanent. What we hope is that education will help people understand whats good for you and whats not good for you, says senior government official Kinley Dorji. Despite wide criticism of Pedestrians Day since it was launched in June 2012, Prime Minister Jigme Thinley remains
enthusiastic about it. He often cycles the 26 km round trip through the hilly terrain between his house and his office, not just on Tuesdays but on other days as well. But he acknowledges that there could have been more consultation before Pedestrians Day was implemented. The good thing is that whenever we fail to consult enough, we have a media and a public that is increasingly vocal and that makes us more mindful, he says. Indeed, Bhutans largely free media, including lively online forums, are quick to reflect any public unhappiness with the restrictions. Prominent investigative journalist Tenzing Lamsang says the governments we-know-best attitude reflects officials elitist mindset. A lot of our ministers come from the Bhutanese bureaucracy and are more used to a top-down approach, he says.
Another controversial law is the Tobacco Control Act, making Bhutan the first country in the world to ban tobacco sales. Last year, a monk was sentenced to three years in prison for smuggling in S$2.70 worth of tobacco. The high-profile case made lawmakers realise that, in their enthusiasm to protect the population, they had engaged in overkill. Penalties have since been reduced, and a thriving black market operates. Shopkeepers sell packs of illegally imported Indian cigarettes at Nu 100 (S$2.20). They quietly slip the slim packs, wrapped in old magazine pages, into buyers hands. A smoker, 28-year-old Kezang, describes the tobacco sale ban as irrational, since the premium paid on illegal cigarettes could have gone to the government as taxes. Other bans are economic in origin.
The state imposed austerity measures in 2012, including import bans on vegetables and vehicles. There are also restrictions rooted in Bhutans desire to preserve its culture. Although the Constitution guarantees freedom of religion, only Buddhism and Hinduism are officially recognised. Christian pastor Phurba Wangdi, 45, says he has had to relocate his church at least eight times in the last 20 years. As for the national dress, the requirement to wear the gho and kira at most workplaces enjoys support, even among government critics like Tenzing Lamsang. For a small country, we cannot afford to have division, and if we all have a unified culture, then there is no issue of division, he says. Globally people dont know much about us, so the only thing that can make us stand out is culture. n
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Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
Power and prayer

The great influence of Buddhist monks requires special handling in Bhutans secular democracy.
by VALERIE KOH
t the heart of Bhutans capital lies the majestic Thimphu Dzong headquarters of the government and residence of clergymen alike. During summer, visitors are likely to see government officials, clad in traditional ghos or kiras, crossing the cobblestoned courtyards and maroon-robed monks chanting Buddhist scriptures in ornate prayer halls. The fort-like monastery, built in 1216, is a stark symbol of the intricate relationship between politics and religion in the country. Historically, the kingdom practised a dual system of governance. The monarch presided over ad-
ministrative and civil matters, while the chief abbot, or Je Khenpo, headed the religious division. Today, the religious values of this deeply Buddhist society are infused in Bhutans Gross National Happiness philosophy. But, like many other modern societies, Bhutan has had to confront the challenge of managing the power of religion to ensure that it doesnt spin out of control. Religious institutions and personalities shall remain above politics, states the countrys four-year-old democratic constitution. In line with that edict, Bhutan ousted 10 prominent monks from parliament in 2008 and barred thousands not only from running for office but even from voting. The Je Khenpos role is confined to spiritual matters. This is a dramatic change for a Buddhist-majority country where monks used to hold reserved seats in the National Assembly and Royal Advisory Council, and counselled the King in state affairs. We have made a very conscious deci-
sion to separate the state from religion, like many countries have done, noted Karma Tshiteem, secretary for the Gross National Happiness Commission. While Mahayana Buddhism is still the official state religion, the fear was that religious personalities would have such a powerful influence at the grassroots that they would distort the democratic process. The Bhutanese have great respect for anyone in a monks robe, Karma Tshiteem said. If monks forayed into politics, it would not be a level playing field, adds member secretary of the Commission for Religious Organisations (CRO) Dorjee Tshering. The monks themselves seem to accept the new arrangement. Voting is a basic human right but we are trying to stay separate so there wouldnt be any conflict or misuse of spiritual power, said the secretary general of the Central Monastic Body, Lopen Gembo Dorji, 49. It is not right or healthy for (us) to vote.
Added Gyeltshen, 75, a monk who served in both the National Assembly and Royal Advisory Council in his younger days: Being a monk is a privilege. The monastic body doesnt need to be represented in parliament. Having a monk in the family is traditionally considered an honour. Coming from a poor family, Gyeltshen first joined a monastery at the age of 13. It was his only chance of getting an educa-
found in GNH policies. Compassion for all living things, as taught by the Buddha, is evident in the countrys commitment to environmental conservation. The country has a negative carbon footprint, and up to 80 per cent of the landscape is covered with forests. If anything in the world can be timeless, it should be those values, said Karma Tshiteem. Monks may have been disenfran-
Bhutanese have great respect The for anyone in a monks robe.

Secretary, GNH Commission
Karma Tshiteem
tion. This was before western-style education was introduced in the 1950s. The societys religious devotion is evident in the colourful prayer flags, stupas and dzongs that blended seamlessly into the landscape. Most households also have an altar, allowing people to worship at home. Buddhism is often cited as a source of inspiration for the states Gross National Happiness doctrine. Values emphasised by the religion, such as filial piety, are
chised, but they are certainly not neglected by the secular authorities. In fact, the state provides monks with accommodation, food, water and a stipend as required by the 2008 constitution. These provisions are sufficient, said Gembo Dorji. The 7,000-member strong congregation of the Central Monastic Body asks for nothing else, he adds. Besides, the government continues to promote the state religion. While the
number of Buddhist institutions was limited in the past, meditation centres and district offices for monks are now a common sight in the countrys 20 districts. The kingdom has an estimated 60 monastic schools and 70 meditational colleges further enhancing its global image as a Buddhist sanctuary. With such generous support, it is little wonder that most religious personalities have been very understanding of the new system, said Dorjee Tshering. However, there have been cases of monks wishing to enter politics. Last year, the Bhutanese Observer newspaper reported that several monks had hung up their maroon robes to stand in the local government election in Trashigang, a district in eastern Bhutan. In order to qualify, the Trashigang monks surrendered their spiritual certificates from the Ministry of Home and Cultural Affairs. With many countries in the world torn between secular and religious authorities, MPs like Tshewang Lhamo, 31, are uneasy about monks exploiting their influence in politics. The MP for the Chukha district in western Bhutan feels a civil war over religion should be avoided at all costs. We cannot afford to have this, she said. People believe in religion but faith is blind, she added. Our forefathers and kings were very wise to keep them separated. n
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A place for old monks

A Singaporean philanthropist is behind a project to build retirement homes for monks.
by EVE YEO
onks in Bhutan often face the difficulty of supporting themselves into old age. Unable to re-join the families they left years ago, elderly monks can only continue to rely on the monasteries they have been with. Yet, many of these monasteries pose safety hazards for elderly monks, and lack financial resources to support them into retirement. The prospects for these elderly monks
may improve when the Bhutan Elder Sangha Sanctuary (BESS) is completed next year. Located in Punakha, the sanctuary provides affordable and age-friendly housing to meet the basic needs of retired monks. Led by Dr Maryann Tsao, the project receives support from Singapores Tsao Foundation, which promotes improving the quality of life for ageing citizens. Bhutanese monks advance from primary and secondary education institutes, meditation and vocational training institutes and dzongs, according to their age. A majority of them are stationed in dzongs. They also serve as caretakers across the 2,300 temples the monk body owns. Land for the retirement housing facility was donated by the former king of Bhutan, Jigme Singye Wangchuck, who chose Punakha for its milder winters.
A 51.5-metre Buddha statue built at a cost of US$47 million (S$57 million) is fast becoming one of the most prominent icons in Thimphus otherwise spartan cityscape. A sprawling complex below the statue is being constructed to house over a hundred thousand gilded Buddhas. Picture by IVAN TAN
ABOUT THE SANCTUARY

THE Bhutan Elder Sangha Sanctuary is designed to meet the needs of the ageing community. It also aims to be a prototype for affordable, age-friendly housing for older people, which can be replicated in Bhutan and elsewhere in the world.
Picture by EVE YEO NOT ALL of Bhutans monasteries are equipped to house aged monks.
The housing village will have a mix of small and large units that can accommodate six and seven monks respectively. Each monk will have their room but share a common sitting room and pantry. The secretary-general of the 7,400-strong monastic body, Gembo Dorji, said: Elderly monks prefer to retire in a peaceful place without inconveniencing others. Those who live on their own would also require help with preparing meals and health care. Comparing the BESS to an old folks home, Gembo Dorji said: We have no retirement homes or old folks homes in Bhutan yet, maybe because the bond in families is still very strong. He added that the BESS project was very timely, and noted that it would provide support with training health care practitioners to advise the monks on health and safety issues. More than 30 elderly monks from the Central Monastic Body, including Wangyel and Gyeltshen, have already applied to move into the facility when it is ready. Age has taken a toll on their health, hearing and sight but has certainly not dulled the elderly monks sense of humour. Wangyel jokes as Gyeltshens phone rings: Another missed call? The God of Judgement is calling you. n
ON VIDEO
PRAYER FLAGS are among Bhutans most ubiquitous icons. A book, Dreaming of Prayer Flags, was touted as the first photo book written by an indigenous Bhutanese author, Singye Dorji. Go-Fars video team was at the authors reading and exhibition in Singapore. Watch their video online, at www.gofar.sg/bhutan.
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I want to give my family a better life. But all I get is shamePeople who dont know me look at me and think Im dirty.
Lhakpa Dema
Drayang girl
Dancing in the Dark
Picture by RONALD LOH
Caught between prejudice and poverty, these hostesses defend the choices theyve made.
ressed in a modest blue and green kira, Lhakpa Dema seats herself beside a middle-aged man, her hand splayed casually on the crook of his arm. He is greying at the temples, nursing a paunch and a bottle of beer. She is just 19, slim and wide-eyed, with soft hands and long hair falling over one shoulder. The wistful opening strings of a Hindi song bring cheers from the audience, but Lhakpa Dema is not here for pleasure shes here to work. Its 9pm, and she is three hours into her job at the
Lungta Gongphel Drayang, plying the audience for song requests. Two years ago, she left her family and their battered house in the farming district of Punakha for Bhutans city capital, Thimphu. Now, she works in a drayang six hours every night, flitting around a dimly-lit room to rub shoulders with customers, and singing and dancing on a wooden stage. Drayangs are Bhutans answer to KTV lounges somewhere in between innocent entertainment and sleazy pickup joint. It is a side of Bhutan that you wont see mentioned in tourism campaigns that promote the kingdom as a pure Shangri-La. And it isnt what youd expect in a country that is billed as the happiest in Asia, where contentment is supposed to come from within oneself and never from exploiting others. But a drayang is a good place to see the tensions of a country that is struggling to open up without losing its traditional values. Here, you can meet young Bhutanese women who have aspirations but not enough job opportunities. Lhakpa Dema works hard to support her family back home who have struggled for years with poor rice harvests. But she also has to fend off the disapproval of the Bhutanese public, who see drayangs as places ripe with the potential for the sexual exploitation and harassment of financially-needy young girls. Drayang girls have been repeatedly dragged into the limelight by media outlets and government officials debating the decency of the job. I want to give my family a better life. But all I get is shame, says soft-spoken Lhakpa. People who dont know me
look at me and think Im dirty. Drayangs which quite simply means entertainment in Bhutans national language, Dzongkha have become a highly visible part of Bhutans nightlife. Since the government first started issuing licenses for drayangs in 2009, 27 of them have cropped up all over Bhutan, with 14 of them on the streets of Thimphu alone. Garnished with strings of flashing lights, and presided over by a squat, rudimentary wooden stage, a drayangs main attraction is the bevy of young girls clad in Bhutans national costume the kira who file onto stage to sing and dance at a customers request. Drayangs are meant to be entertainment hubs, lavishing the audience with a mix of traditional Bhutanese music, Hindi dance numbers popular with the Bhutanese, and even choice Western hits. The people who whirl in and out of a drayangs door come from all walks of life: a monk in saffron robes, a mother bouncing her son on her knee, a civil servant who passes out namecards over drinks. But 95 per cent of their customers, say drayang owners, are men. And in a country where urban culture is still in the awkward, gangly stages of development, the sight of young girls cosying up to men for money has stirred much debate. The Bhutanese have linked young girls providing entertainment to a male-dominated crowd as the opening number to rampant sexual exploitation. On stage, its an exercise in moderation: even with a Shakira song thumping in the background, the girls move
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primly hips swaying shyly, wrists rolling gently. It is when they are on the floor, say worried Bhutanese, that the girls are at their most vulnerable. Girls make their rounds through throngs of seated customers, coaxing song requests out of them. Customers can have their pick of girls, ordering them to dance and sing on stage for anything between Nu 100 (S$2.25) to Nu 500 a song. If youre beautiful, of course Ill pay more, says 27-year-old shopkeeper Thinley Wangchuk, who visits drayangs at least two nights a week. You have to be pretty to be popular. High school drop out Dorji Omi, who says her favourite part of city life is being able to wear make-up every day, is fast learning how to rake in more money at work. They pay better when we are nice to them. Sometimes, they like it when you sit down and talk to them, or touch their hand gently, explains the 20-yearold in halting English. Having left her hometown of Tshirang five months ago to join a drayang, she hesitantly admits that she sometimes panders to the affections of men by flirt-
ing back, but insists she draws the line there. Some men, after downing a few drinks, have asked her to come home with them, but she has never agreed. Even so, the rumour mill still churns with stories of drayang girls offering their bodies to customers.
customers: We cannot pretend its not happening. Our culture is very rich. Why should we let it be corrupted by practices that can lead to our girls being exploited by older men? MP Tshewang Lhamo, one of only 10 female members in Bhutans Parliament,
see this to be Iadont very decent job.

Dorji Wangdi
Labour Minister
Drayang owners will accuse the media of sensationalising, but Ive seen drunk male customers fondling the girls, or making them sit on their laps. Youre feeding these girls to the wolves, says Riku Dhan Subba, an outspoken blogger and a former reporter with the Bhutan Observer. And Riku acknowledges that some drayang girls choose to go home with
Picture by RONALD LOH Some officials think sexual exploitation could thrive in drayangs. In these dimly-lit bars, some male customers are looking not just for entertainment. Theyre looking for company.
has met drayang girls who were raped by their customers, and others abandoned by their customers months into their pregnancy. Its easy money, but the repercussions might be something youll have to carry all your life, she says. With a sigh, she adds: But some girls really dont care. Its my body, my wish. Now, their body is not theirs. Ive even heard people howling Your body is my wish! in the crowd. So disgusting. Still, more girls have started flocking to drayangs looking for a quick buck. They can pocket over Nu. 6,000 a month, including tips, from just six hours of work each day. These girls are usually school dropouts from poor families living in the rural districts of Bhutan. Television, Riku believes, has led to a culture of vanity, fed by popular culture. Television and the Internet only made their debut in Bhutan in 1999, but now, most people have access to over 40 channels of cable television. Tshewang says: Our girls are getting greedy now, day by day. They want flashy mobiles. They want easy money. Who wants to till the field? Lets just dance for a few hours, earn a few thousand. In 2010, Labour Minister Dorji Wangdi drew public ire when his comments on finding alternative employment for drayang girls were misconstrued as an attempt to impose a ban on drayangs in a country already grappling with a swarm of other bans. The Ministry of Labour and Hu-
man Resources (MOLHR) carries out discreet checks on drayangs to ensure satisfactory working conditions. So far, said the Labour Minister, the ministry has not received a single complaint of sexual harassment from girls working in drayangs. But this, he admits, does not mean he doubts sexual harassment is taking place in the shadows. I dont see this to be a very decent job, he says, adding that it does not provide long-term security. How long will the drayang keep them? It will keep them as long as they are young. After some time, where do they go? His ministry launched a tailoring training programme specially for girls working in drayangs last year. The response, however, was feeble, with only two people signing up for the 36 available slots. The Labour Minister says they still have other avenues open for girls looking for a change in employment, from information technology to cooking. While drayangs have fueled lots of righteous indignation among Bhutans elite, the working girls insist they are doing nothing wrong. Im not selling myself. Im not selling my body. Im selling my talent. Im selling my voice and my dancing, says Lhakpa, who just got married a few months back. She dropped out of school at 17, hoping to support her family. Her parents divorced when she was in her early teens, and she is the oldest of three children. Now, the Nu. 7,000 she earns is painstakingly sent home to her family each month, supporting her two younger sisters education. Lhakpa, who lives with her husband in a small apartment the size of a oneroom flat, is also hoping to start her own family soon, but worries about being shamed in public over her job. How can I be a mother when people tell me my job is dirty? I know in my heart that Im not. Some drayang girls may do dirty things, and that gives all of us a bad name? We are not prostitutes. We are entertainers. It is not fair that I make the decent choice but people still judge me, she says. If my child grows up, and her friends make fun of her because her mother works in a drayang, how will my child feel? What can I say to her? n
Picture by IVAN TAN TASHI TAGAY Drayang hires entertainers who are visually impaired.
Drayang with a cause

HE WAS once swathed in red robes, chanting Buddhist scriptures crosslegged on a wooden floor. But Jigme Namgyel has swapped a monks life for that of an entertainer. Now, he wears a gho and a pair of tinted shades, jarringly simple against a backdrop of garish, multicoloured lights, and crowds of people guzzling cheap alcohol. The 25-year-old is one of the few men performing in drayangs. And in this swelling industry, shrouded in controversy, the drayang he works at is a rarity. Not only does the Tashi Tagay Drayang hire male performers, it also employs people with disabilities. For a long time after I became blind, I retreated into myself, losing interest in everything else, said Jigme, who lost his sight at 18. But once I picked up the microphone and started singing, I discovered I can still hear. I can still speak. I can still survive. Tashi Tagays owner, Namgay Dorji, has won the unwavering loyalty of his employees. More an overprotective father than an aloof boss, Namgay also makes sure to train all the girls on how to handle themselves in front of customers, and how to reject unwanted advances. A singer himself, Namgay, 31, always wanted to give youths the chance to take to the stage and display their talents. He provides employees free lodging in three rooms at a hostel near the workplace. He also hires professional trainers to teach his employees traditional music and embroidery from 9am to 2pm every day. Now, Tashi Tagay has 19 blind singers three girls, and 16 boys. It also hires a handful of girls without disabilities. Once upon a time, I came from a poor family. I suffered a lot. But Im not a disabled person. They have seen more suffering than me. I want to be able to save them. n
NUR ASYIQIN BTE MOHAMAD SALLEH
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Bhutans missing women

Despite enjoying formal equality, women remain under-represented in Bhutanese politics.
by VALERIE KOH
olitics has often been likened to a glorified popularity contest, where participants struggle to have their faces recognised and voices heard in public. For politician Tshewang Lhamo, 31, standing out comes naturally. The public has come to know her as one of the youngest woman politicians in their country. The Member of Parliament is a clear minority in this maledominated arena. Only six out of 25 politicians in the National Council, the upper house in Bhutans bicameral parliament, are women. The 47-member National Assembly, the lower house, has only four women. But the he gender gap does not faze Tshewang Lhamo, who has a background in accounting and hospitality background. Sweeping into a sparsely furnished conference room in the National Council headquarters, the young politician exudes self-assurance and confidence during the interview. One gets the sense that she is quite the rebel. As far as conventions go, she dons a traditional red and green kira. Beyond that, she sports a boyish chin-length bob, long fringe swept casually to the side. It is worlds apart from other Bhutanese women with their kohl-rimmed eyes and long locks. Similarly, her views on women leadership differ from the average womans. Ive never felt intimidated among males, she told Go-Far. Politics is a mechanism for change. And sitting in capital on a spinning chair, writing on white paper, you dont really get to know
the people. It is this conviction that saw her rise to the occasion when Bhutans inaugural parliamentary elections were held in 2008. As the second elections approach, she foresees more women taking part. The Election Commission of Bhutan has been encouraging women to step forward as voters and candidates. Posters conveying this message have been placed around the town. This campaign has been spurred by a deep-seated concern that women
I tell my female folks
to step out, but they say politics is so dirty. They have no time for it.
Tshewang Lhamo
Member of Parliament
are under-represented in politics and the public sphere in modern Bhutan. While the kingdom has won admiration around the world for embracing democracy, it battles internal criticisms of gender discrimination. While the law guarantees womens rights and there is no outright discrimination in policy, Druk Chriwang Tshogpas (DCT) newly appointed president Lily Wangchuk, also the first woman party leader in Bhutan, points out that gender disparity is widespread. Bhutan signed the United Nations Convention on Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women in 1980 and set up a National Commission for Women and Children in 2004. Yet, women continue to trail behind men in most fields apart from agriculture. Traditionally, women inherit land in Bhutans matrilineal family system. This practice stems from a belief that they can provide for themselves through subsistence farming. The downside is that daughters are expected to forsake education for menial work such as agriculture, said Yangchen Pelden, programme manager of the National Womens Association of Bhutan. It seems that the government is well aware of such underlying complexities. After the kingdom successfully transitioned into a democracy in 2008, a National Plan of Action for Gender from 2008 to 2013 was initiated. The idea of implementing a quota system in politics was raised during a United Nations conference on women in politics held in Thimphu in March 2012. Supporters argue that it could level the playing field and narrow the gender gap in the workplace. Women in politics and other fields have been left behind, said gender analyst Rinzi Pem of the United Nations Development Programme, and will continue to be if they are not given some kind of push. But this could also lessen the credibility of capable women, counter
detractors. MP Sangay Khandu cautions against preferential treatment for the fairer sex as it could affect the psyche of young girls. They might grow up believing themselves inferior to the opposite sex. The main problem, say activists, lies with the mindsets of women. We have equal status but its just that women dont want to step forward, said Yangchen Pelden. Many are content with having their husbands head the household. Added Tshewang Lhamo: I tell my female folks to step out but they say politics is so dirty. They have no time for it and need to take care of their children. Its a different story altogether for the MP. It takes her days of traveling by foot to visit her constituency of Chukha, but the swinging single has no complaints. Free from family obligations, she has ample time to focus on the needs of her people. Apart from family obligations, a lack of qualification has also deterred women from joining the field. A basic degree is a must for all candidates. In 2012 statistics released by the Education Ministry, women took up 40 percent of the vacancies in university. In fact, many young girls grow up without any ambition and drop out of school, lamented Lily Wangchuk. She herself faced great pressure from her family to forsake her education for an airborne career as an air stewardess. That motivated her to complete her studies so she could show that women are as capable as men. More women are needed at decisionmaking level, she said. Taking that first step is not easy and often, women have to prove themselves twice as able as men, if only to keep detractors off their backs. Still, it is necessary for to have equal representation for both genders in politics, she told Go-Far in an interview in August, before she became the DCTs president. If you believe in change, you have to come out and be that voice. n
Picture by MARK TAY FEMALE PROFESSIONALS and office workers are a common sight in Bhutans cities, but many girls are expected to forego school in order to help on family farms.
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Are folktales losing their voice?

Bhutans rich oral tradition is threatened by television and other modern distractions.
angay has the kind of voice that good stories live for: naturally sonorous, like his every word deserves an audience; a slightly raspy edge, like its been weathered from decades of use; an expressiveness that cannot be learnt. The 60-year-old is the self-appointed storyteller in his family and its a job he takes seriously. Every week, he ekes out time in the evening for his family to gather around him on the bare concrete floor of their Punakha home so he can share the stories he heard as a young boy. In Bhutan, the practice of narrating folktales has been on a decline over the years, but Sangay, armed with nothing but his voice and the echoes of his grandmothers stories is on a one-man mission to keep the tradition alive within his family. The battle is a hard one. His opponents are forces he cannot comprehend: the flashing lights of the television set he finds so baffling; the piles of cheap English paperbacks imported from India, in a language he cannot understand. The first thing his 18-year-old granddaughter Karma Choden does in the mornings is turn on their small television, donated to the family by a neighbour.
The vast collection of folktales Sangay has gathered over the decades as a child in the cradle of his grandmothers lap as they shelled cobs of corn together, and later, as a teenager, competing with friends over who could narrate the most number of folktales might fade away along with him. When they were small, my grandchildren would ask me to tell them folktales, recalls Sangay wistfully in Bhutans national language Dzongkha, as his granddaughter Karma sits beside him, looking up from her Samsung handphone at intervals to translate. But now they are older, nobody wants to hear our traditional folktales unless I make them listen. Now, they want to watch television. They want to chase a culture that is not their own. His right cheek, where he has a wad of doma (betel leaf topped with bitter areca nut, and spritzed with a bit of lime, rolled up tight into a compact package) tucked away, bulges as he speaks. Our grandmothers stories are dying, and our children dont care. We are losing our souls, but life goes on. Bhutan has staved off the forces of globalisation decades after most countries found themselves scrambling to adapt to the outside world. That its once-proud oral tradition of narrating folktales or
srung, as they are known in Bhutan could soon be in its death flurries is a symptom that their traditional culture is losing ground, beating a stumbling retreat as mass media and modernisation charges ahead. The preservation and promotion of cultural values is one of the four pillars of the countrys Gross National Happiness (GNH) policy, Bhutans humancentric approach to development. Until the 1960s, the country had no currency and no proper roads; television and the Internet were only introduced in 1999. But in a few short years, the tides have turned. Now, a new generation of young Bhutanese hang posters of Korean pop stars on their walls next to pictures of the King, and are increasingly comfortable shrugging off their ghos and kiras and the burden of swathes of cloth and decades of unchanging tradition and uniformity to swagger about town in Western clothing, their jeans fraying at the cuffs, their t-shirts shouting angry slogans. A mere three decades ago, Bhutan was still a largely oral society. And before Western education came to Bhutan in the 1950s, there were only monastic schools. Written communication was scant, and education and literacy were more privileges than rights. In houses all over Bhutan, a different sort of education was at work: grandparents would narrate folktales to their grandchildren an informal, homespun formula for educating the young. Academic Dorji Penjore noted that folktales were crucial in shaping Bhutanese society in the past. For the children unable to enter the formal education system, it was the wisdom of their parents and grandparents that schooled them. Sharing folktales also used to be one of the paltry choices villagers had for entertainment. At night, our parents wouldnt let us go out to play. It was dark and dangerous with so many forests and animals, recalls 81-year-old Pema, who moved from Wangdue to Thimphu last year to live with her daughter. So we stayed at home and listened to our elders tell us folktales at night. Bhutanese folktales span a kaleidoscopic range of topics: stories of sinpos PROFESSIONAL TOUR guide Dorji relates the tale depicted in a mural at Punakha Dzong. Picture by CHERIAN GEORGE
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(demons) and yetis, which are steeped in cultural beliefs and superstitions; stories about the poor triumphing over the rich, which reflected deep-seated class tensions. In one story, a lame monkey teaches a boy etiquette; in another, a poor peasant uses his wits to become king; meanwhile, two villagers stumble on a yeti dozing under a tree. Bhutanese folktales are, at heart, moralistic, says Sangay. They emphasise and encourage positive virtues like sampa zangpo (good intentions) by rewarding morally-upright characters. Instead of a grandfather teaching his grandson, dont do this, dont do that, scolding him and making him want to be disobedient, they taught him values in a softer way, explains Tharchen. Folktales softened the blow and made the lessons more entertaining for the kids. In remote villages where the nearest motor roads are days away, the narration of folktales in the pastures and at home are alive even today a 2008 GNH survey found that 65.7 per cent of people in rural Bhutan found folktales very important, compared to the 46.5 per cent of people in city areas like Thimphu and Phuentsholing.
In urban areas, there is a host of other distractions, as well as a wealth of avenues for education. Folktales are not important to me. I have no time for them. There are more interesting things on television, says 15-year-old Jigme Dorji, who was roaming the streets of Thimphu with a group of friends. Last time, we were so tired after
published the first volume of Bhutanese folktales in Dzongkha. And in the years that followed, a spate of books on traditional folktales from all over the country would be published in English. Schools are also getting in on the act, helping to foster appreciation for folktales. The Department of Information and Media (DOIM) recently published
There are more interesting things on television.

Teenager, Changjiji
Jigme Dorji
working the whole day, so we sat at home and listened to folktales to relax, says housewife Sunmaya Tamang, 38. Now, my children feel so restless inside the house. Why would they want to sit with me and listen to old peoples stories? There are now attempts to revive a tradition that is fast growing stale. Folktales are now being documented in writing. In 1984, Dasho Sherab Thaye
Picture by GOH CHAY TENG TELEVISION ONLY arrived in 1999, but it has since replaced older family members as the main storyteller in Bhutanese households.
eight comic books based on Bhutanese folktales to counter the influx of foreign comics. In August 2012, they printed over 23,000 comic books to be sent to all primary and lower secondary schools in Bhutan. The DOIM have also reached out to local animation studios to help produce cartoons based on folktales. In July 2012, local animation studio Athang wrapped up their first 3D animation project based on a popular folktale Meme Hayley Hayley, a story which reflects the countrys simple approach to happiness. Suddenly, there is so much activity and effort to preserve and raise awareness of our folktales, says Tharchen, a manager at Athang. I wouldnt call it a renaissance. But Id like to. And in a little house in Punakha, Sangay will continue the fight to keep the tradition alive for his family. His only wish is to share his grandmothers folktales with his grandchildren for as long as he can still speak. I dont have anything to give my children and grandchildren. The only thing I can give them my stories, he says. Our folktales are the blood that runs through all of us. The blood that runs through Bhutan. Sangay turns to the side abruptly, ducking his head to spit out the wad of doma hes been chewing on for hours. It hits the ground in a wet splatter. When he raises his head to smile, his teeth and gums are stained red. n
IN THE NEWS
Several of the stories featured in this book have been published in newspapers and magazines.
FROM TOP: The Straits Times, 1 September 2012; The Straits Times, 13 August 2012; Whats Up, September 2012; Business Times, 3 September 2012; The New Paper, 9 September 2012.
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WORK-LIFE BALANCE is emphasised in the countrys Gross National Happiness model, which states that workers should work a maximum of 8 hours a day. Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
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BHUTANESE DRAYANGS, which are traditional entertainment centres, have come to be associated with the exploitation of the young women who are employed to sing and dance on stage. Picture by IVAN TAN
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NUNS FROM the Zilukha Nunnery take a break after morning prayers. Unlike their male counterparts, most of these nuns will not have the opportunity to further their monastic education. Picture by IVAN TAN
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ON THE FRINGES of Thimphu lies Changjiji, a large low-income housing colony. The area has a reputation for social problems like street gangs, unemployed youth and drug abuse. Picture by IVAN TAN
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STREET PORTRAITS. By Samuel He, Go-Far Class of 2007 and Go-Far instructor 2012.
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Thank you, Bhutan

Picture by GOH CHAY TENG
e are in a small red car, Usher crooning over the radio while a tiny golden figurine of a traditional Buddhist prayer wheel sits perched on the dashboard, guiding us down one of the few asphalt roads in Punakha, a small countryside town in Bhutan. In a country where youre more likely to see an idly wandering cow on the streets than a single street lamp, its a 15-minute drive down a winding stretch of pitch-black road to the modest village hospital. Fifty-nine-year-old farmer Kencho is in the back seat, balancing containers of rice and chilli cheese in his lap. His 21-yearold son lounges in the drivers seat, dressed in a white t-shirt and faded jeans, his hand phone clasped between his thighs. Kencho is visiting his only grandson, who has been hospitalised for the night. Kencho sits on a shaky stool in the sparsely furnished ward, stroking his grandsons hair. Its a sombre sight. His concern for the two-year-old, who has been plagued by fevers most of his life, is intensely personal. But the old farmer has welcomed us and our artillery of cameras, notebooks, and recorders to hover around as he bends his head in silent prayer. Before this, I had lurked in his padi field leaving an appalling number of trampled seedlings in my wake as he toiled alone. That evening, I pottered around his house as his wife melted a lump of cheese over the kitchen stove. After a six-month internship at a newspaper back home, I took sealed lips and cold shoulders as an inevitable part of the job of a reporter. So, being welcomed with open arms by Bhutanese was unexpected. It wasnt uncommon to be wandering the streets one minute, and finding yourself in someones home the next. There, youll be served a cup of hot tea, whereas in Singapore, you might be dispensed a strong dose of suspicion through a tightly padlocked gate instead. Covering Bhutan taught me, all over again, that reporting is about talking to people. People milling the streets were our best contacts. And the Bhutanese rarely shied away, always open and eager to share. It took just a few minutes of conversation, or even a shy wave from a distance, before we were admitted into their lives. It might just be basic journalism, but in Bhutan against a skyline guarded by sweeping mountain ranges; and in living rooms where conversations unfolded under the benevolent gaze of the Kings portrait it felt like magic: effortless and exciting. The Go-Far team would like to thank the people of Bhutan who helped us in one way or another and opened their hearts and minds to us.
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The Student Journalists

Bhavan Jaipragas
Bhavan joined Go-Far after an internship with Agence France-Presse (AFP) in Singapore. He has written for the alternative news site, The Online Citizen, and the campus paper, Nanyang Chronicle. He has had internships with the Foreign Affairs Ministry and Institute of Policy Studies. In Bhutan, Bhavan reported on its tourism strategy and its relations with China. He was also one of the teams website and social media editors.
Nur Asyiqin Binti Mohamad Salleh
Asyiqin was drawn to Bhutans drayangs, entertainment bars haunted by rumours of sexual exploitation. She also explored Bhutans vulnerable tradition of narrating folktales. Asyiqins Go-Far stint was preceded by a six-month internship with The New Paper. There, she was thrown (by virtue of her relative youth, and severe misconceptions about her sporting ability) into writing a series about daredevil activities.
Cassandra Yeap June Yi
Fresh from an internship with Phnom Penh Post in Cambodia, Cassandra could see parallels between the two small Asian nations. As seemingly unspoiled as Bhutan was, I knew that it was a developing country, with familiar signs of growing pains, she says. She reported on Bhutans nascent democracy and youth unemployment. In school, Cassandra was chief editor and news editor of the campus paper, Nanyang Chronicle.
Ronald Loh
One moment he was drinking tea with the Bhutan Football Federations general secretary; the next, taking cover from stray arrows during a local archery tournament. Thats just how diverse, yet exciting, sports reporting can be, he says. Ronald describes himself as a sports-centric journalist. He covered the beat for the Nanyang Chronicle before a seven-month internship on the sports desk of The New Paper sealed his career choice.
Leonard How
Leonard did an internship at Thomson Reuters in Singapore. He has also written for Nanyang Chronicle and done stints overseas at Seattleite Magazine and The Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Writing about farming in Bhutan, Leonard was struck by the people he met. They may not have what we consider necessary for comfortable living, but they are happy with what they have, he said.
Jeremy Lim
Part of Go-Fars video team, Jeremy previously served as head of the campus TV station, Spectrum TV. He spent six months on exchange in South Korea and took part in the schools Short Overseas Journalism (SOJOURN) visit to North Korea in 2011. He has interned at the national daily, The Straits Times, and writes regularly for the online portal, www.xinmsn.com.
Eve Yeo Yu Ping
Eve reported on the national airlines role in the countrys tourism strategy. It was interesting to understand just how closely intertwined Drukair was with the economics of the country, being the only airline in the world that flies to landlocked Bhutan, she said. Before joining Go-Far, she did an internship with The Business Times. In school, she worked on the Nanyang Chronicle and the Youth Olympic Games Young Olympian Daily.
Valerie Koh
Having a passion for stories with heart, Valerie arrived in Bhutan keen to investigate social issues like HIV and domestic violence cases not stories one normally associates with seemingly idyllic Bhutan (see www.gofar.sg). She also reported on the relationship between religion and politics. Valerie completed a six-month stint at The New Paper, as well as an internship at Singapore Womens Weekly.
Lee Jian Xuan
Jian Xuans internship at the Emerging Markets Division in Singapores Ministry of Trade and Industry gave him an appreciation for places off the beaten path, such as Tanzania, Kyrgyzstan and, of course, Bhutan. In Bhutan, he explored Changjiji, reputedly one of worst neighborhoods in the capital city. Jian Xuan has written for the Nanyang Chronicle and youth-oriented websites such as Funkygrad and New Nation.
Trinh Hoang Ly
Ly led the video teams production of a story on rural-urban migration in Bhutan, looking at how Thimphus new residents cope in their new environment. A former news editor for the Nanyang Chronicle, Ly spent six months at The Straits Times RazorTV, covering a wide range of stories for the online broadcast channel. She has also reported for www.LinkAsia.org, on hot topics being discussed in Singapores blogosphere.
Ivan Tan
Ivan worked as a photographer for the campus newspaper Nanyang Chronicle and Young Olympian Daily. He also practised photojournalism at the University of Missouri, Columbia, on a six-month exchange. In 2011, he was nominated by Singapores photojournalism collective, Platform, as one of Singapores top ten emerging photographers.
Goh Chay Teng
Chay Teng started out in photojournalism at the campus newspaper Nanyang Chronicle, later becoming its photo editor. In order to hone her journalism skills, she took on a magazine internship as a features writer, covering business and lifestyle news. Back behind the lens of a camera for GoFar, she documented the life a young Bhutanese woman trying to make in the city.
Mark Tay
Mark joined Go-Far after internships at Thomson Reuters and The Straits Times. His interest in business journalism led him to investigate how Bhutan was coping with its shortage of Indian rupees. He also reported on Pedestrian Day and other unusual restrictions that the government has imposed to protect Bhutans environment and culture.
Benny Lim
A member of Go-Fars video team, Benny has garnered accolades at film competitions, most notably clinching a spot in the top 11 films at the New Paper First Film Fest. He served as head of news and studio director at the universitys TV station, Spectrum TV. A six-month internship at local production house, Little Red Ants Creative Studio, saw him directing, producing and shooting professional videos.
The Instructors
Cherian George
An associate professor at the Wee Kim Wee School, Cherian researches journalism and politics. He also serves as the director of the Temasek Foundation NTU Asia Journalism Fellowship. He established Go-Far in 2005, but this is his first time leading the programme. Before academia, he was a journalist with the Straits Times, serving as a political correspondent and art and photo editor.
Tay Kay Chin
Tay Kay Chin held various editorial positions in newspapers in Singapore and the United States before deciding to become a freelance photographer and photojournalism instructor. He runs the photojournalism programme at the Wee Kim Wee School and has also taught online journalism and publication design. He led the GoFar team to Aceh, Indonesia, in its inaugural year.
Samuel He
Samuel, from the Wee Kim Wee Schools Class of 2008, took part in Go-Far Laos (2007). The freelancer started his career with The Straits Times, where he won first prize for feature photography from the Society of Publishers in Asia. He helped launch the papers multimedia site, Through the Lens, which won a Gold at the IFRA Asian Digital Media Awards 2011. Samuel supervised Go-Fars multi-media projects.
Lau Joon Nie
A lawyer by training, Joon-Nie spent 15 years at MediaCorps Channel NewsAsia as a TV reporter, web editor, current affairs producer and assignments desk editor. A graduate of Columbia Universitys Graduate School of Journalism, she has reported in countries such as Bhutan, Myanmar and the United States. Joon-Nie supervised Go-Fars video team out of Singapore.
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Gone Far
Go-Far Bhutan was part of an annual series of overseas reporting trips.
t started in 2005, in the wake of the Asian Tsunami. It was a disaster that did not strike Singapore directly, but was too momentous for journalism educators and students to ignore. Two teams set out for the Indonesian province of Aceh and the island republic of Sri Lanka to report on peoples efforts to rebuild their lives. What started as a one-off response to an exceptional event became an annual programme. Going Overseas For Advanced Reporting takes journalism students out of their comfort zones to report on socially meaningful subjects in environments as different as possible from Singapores First World setting. Go-Far has allowed students to test and stretch their journalism skills, to learn how communities work, and to develop their ability to communicate across cultures. The programme is made possible by the generous support from NTUs Wee Kim Wee Legacy Fund and Shinnyo-en Foundation.
SO FAR
2005: Aceh, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka 2006: Nepal 2007: Laos 2008: Karnataka, India 2009: Bangladesh 2010: Timor Leste 2011: Southern Thailand 2012: Bhutan
www.gofar.sg

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BHUTAN

GOING OVERSEAS FOR ADVANCED REPORTING

IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Farewell to innocence 14 The way to happiness 17

MORE STORIES at www.gofar.sg/bhutan

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Bhutan: farewell to innocence?

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

yet corrupted; its still a Its not very innocent society.

The way to happiness

Picture by IVAN TAN

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Welcome to our world

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

The little airline that could

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

The Indian connection

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

find ourselves interacting We will increasingly with China.

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

People over profits

Contentment versus competition

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

have to be competitive in sports, We otherwise there is no point in forming a national team.

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

If we can get people at the grassroots interested elite

athletes will inevitably happen.

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

The flight from farms

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

City of dreams and despair

by LEE JIAN XUAN

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Ties that bind

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Beyond the paper chase

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Land of bountiful bans

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Picture by GOH CHAY TENG

Power and prayer

Bhutanese have great respect The for anyone in a monks robe.

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

A place for old monks

ABOUT THE SANCTUARY

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH

Dancing in the Dark

Picture by RONALD LOH

BHUTAN: IN SEARCH OF A MIDDLE PATH