If you are not aware of this darker side of Bhutan’s dictatorship, go and ask to the 100,000 + Bhutanese refugees (who were dumped in Nepal some 17years ago just because they did not speak the King’s language and follow his tradition), what this Gross National Happiness means to them. This is the most inhuman kind of crime Bhutan is committing but the world is keeping mum.

If you look around the globe, you will notice that a failed state is a one where there is no leader. Most often the people in these countries would be always rioting and thc country miserably poor. The governemnt would be corrupted and its citizens dying like flies.

We dont have anything like this in Bhutan so thats why we say that the Bhutanese are happy.

With the good vision and guidance of our enlightened king, we the people of Bhutan will contrinue to economically and socially prosper, preserve our rich and unique cultural heritage, preserve our environment and frame polices as per our constitutiobn which is directed towards the attainment of peace and happiness. Remember that the people of Bhutan did not not ask for democary, it was rather a dictum from the king himself and therefore, we deeply respect the changes broughtforth by our king. When the king decided to initiate the drafting of a written constitution, he said that however, a good person may be (refering to the king himself)one cannot relay on just one individual person for the destiny of the nation must lay to each and every people of Bhutan. He further said that the principle of democracy is inherently good and we must introduce democracy and the people of Bhutan should not be dettered by the fact that democracy is not working in some of the countries. So our Kings are beyond comparision to have any bearings of the worries that is coming from yours chaotic countries.

Cheers Bhutanese

I am sure this blog is linked to Bhutantimes.com. By starting the last one (u had “mocking democracy”) and now this one I think u r trying to see whether the discussion from Bhutantimes.com will spill over to this forum – when it doesnt u will use it to prove that there is no freedom of speech/expression.

Let me tell u this. It is not because of a lack of freedom of speech. The reason blogger discussions that go on in the Bhutantimes.com will not spill over here is because Bhutan is still so uniquely small where everybody knows everybody.

We live together rubbing shoulders everyday with people we may or may not like, with people whose policies we may or may not apprve of. We do not want to incite hate by shouting out in the open and pointing fingers. Those who are blogging there are expressing their concerns about certain issues (which may or may not be the truth) If it is the media in Bhutan is definitely reading them and investigating it for themselves.

As you can see our press (and even people) are much more responsible and credible. We do not believe in shouting and screaming, throwing stones and slippers at people in the public.

Freedom of press will always be a tough one in Bhutan because of the smallness of the society. Nobody understands this unless they have lived all their lives in a small town or in Bhutan. It is not because people are scared. Our people have to live the rest of their lives with each other and do not like unpleasantness.

So don’t think that just because there are people complaining about issues on Bhutantimes.com forum and not doing it here is because they are scared or because they lack freedom of expression. MIND YOU ONE THING – DO NOT TOUCH OUR KING. Even the harshest critics of the Bhutanese system will tell you that.
Our king is sacred. he is SACROSANCT. The Nepalese will never understand this (unfortunately because things have been diff for them) but we love our king not out of fear but because of the MAN and LEADER that he is and WHAT he has sacrficied for the country.

Belive it or not!

In my own opinion, the more wealth you have, the more worries will you have. No peace in mind, no happiness in you.

Are you wearing blinkers or what. The feudal system was well on its way out a long time back. We are in transition. Ever heard the saying ROME WAS NOT BUILT IN DAY? For a turtle who knows no other world than his little pond let me tell you that if you look at the history of all countries they have had more miserable pasts than us.

For many countries it has taken hundreds of years to reach their systems of democracy that too with bloodshed. We have arrived at it in such a short time and handed out in a gold platter.

Thanks to the third and fourth king who placed so much priority on education even before electricity and roads came into the country (You may not know but children were plucked from ordinary families to go and study in the hill stations of India. They trekked for days to get there) Today the Wangchucks can reap the benefits of what they have sown.

We have a highly educated Bhutanese population who understands the need to move with the times, who know WHAT they want for their country without being confused.

Yes Bhutan is not perfect and WE THE PEOPLE have to work towards that. WE have now been given that power and authority to do that.

It is like the “Tale of Two Cities” (while here two countries) Bhutan and Nepal one with a tragic ending (the entire royal family wiped out) while the other ends in happiness.

Whatever happens to Bhutan from now on will not be the Wangchuck’s fault. If anything goes wrong it will be the fault of the people themselves.

The present Wangchuck is young and as dynamic as his father and he has the support of all the people.

Regarding happiness. Its funny how the Nepalese have to take an interest in everything that goes on in Bhutan while they continue to ignore their own mess in their backyard. Clean up your mess and then lets talk about our happiness and how many people have been asked.