GNH – Tshering Tobgay

Message on Happiness Day

March 20, 2013Government, Monarchy7 Comments

Today is a big day for Bhutan … and the world. Today, people all over the world will come together to observe the first International Day of Happiness. My family and I join the people of Bhutan in celebrating the first ever global happiness day. I thank the prime minister and the government for their hard work and perseverance in advocating Gross National Happiness at home and abroad. I congratulate them for for successfully promoting happiness in the international agenda, and for pushing the United Nations to adopt the resolution on happiness. Their efforts have led to the adoption…

Ambassador for life?

July 12, 2012Legislature126 Comments

Should Parliament make the Prime Minister GNH Ambassador for Life? The proposal to make the Prime Minister GNH Ambassador for Life was tabled by the Speaker. But it was not discussed in the National Assembly. Yet, the proposal was forwarded to the National Council. And it was almost included in the Assembly’s resolutions as a proposal that had, more or less, been accepted. The Speaker also made indirect reference to the proposal in his address during this session’s closing ceremony. So should Parliament make the Prime Minister GNH Ambassador for Life? No. First, the Parliament did not follow due…

What we really need

June 2, 2012Government11 Comments

Our country is going through an unprecedented economic crisis. So why is the government establishing a “Secretariat for the new economy”for the United Nations? Instead, what we need is an office – a war room – dedicated to planning and directing the recovery of our economy. And why is the prime minister preparing to “make a statement promoting the vision for a new economic system” for the world? What we really need – desperately – is a head of government who is genuinely and fully committed to understanding, planning and directing the recovery of our economy.

GNH and Bhutan

March 30, 2012Government54 Comments

Here's an insightful cartoon from Bhutan Observer. The message is loud and clear. There's no need to elaborate. But one dangerous element is missing in the murky background: the rupee crunch and the growing economic crisis, about which the prime minister has not yet uttered a word.

Walk the talk!

February 7, 2012Government17 Comments

South Korea is home to 50 million people. They have the 13th largest economy in the world and are a member of the G-20. They are the world’s leading exporter of some of the best electronics (think of Samsung), home appliances (LG), cars (Hyundai Kia) and ships (Hyundai). They have hosted the Olympics, the World Cup and the Asian Games. They have the world’s best education system, enjoy one of the highest internet penetration rates, and boast a popular culture that has taken much of Asia by storm. But in spite of all their successes, South Koreans are still…

“Tick tock KABOOM”

November 30, 2011Youth19 Comments

Youth crime is a growing problem in our kingdom. And according to the prime minister, “the answer lies in GNH.”
I’m happy that the prime minister has acknowledged the problem: that youth crime is real and that it is growing.
And I’m happy that he has an answer to that problem: GNH.
A good segment of our youth, especially those living in Thimphu, are in trouble. They are scared. They are anxious. And they are desperate.
So if GNH is the answer, let’s use it.
But if GNH isn’t the answer, let’s admit it, let’s look for solutions that could work, and let’s get cracking.
Reports of youth violence, vandalism, theft, drug abuse, rape, gang fights, prostitution, murder and suicides are on the increase. But what we know from the media may only be the tip of the iceberg. The reality, as Xochitl Rodriguez found out, could actually be worse.
Xochitl spent some time in Changjiji last year. And she blogged about what she saw – the suffering and desperation of our children. I’m reproducing her entire article here for our collective reference, and as a reminder of the magnitude and urgency of the work at hand.

GNH vs GPH

November 3, 2011Government8 Comments

Yeshey Dorji, a prolific blogger (and an excellent photographer), weighed in on minister Khaw Boon Wan’s controversial comments by concurring with the view that since we want to emulate Singapore, for us Singapore could well be the Shangri-la. But regardless of where Shangri-la may lie, Au Yeshey admits to finding GNH confusing, and raises the alarming prospect that GNH may actually undermine personal happiness. This is what he writes: “GNH, GNH. GNH - Oh God, it is so confusing. This GNH has me totally baffled. The more I think about it, the more I am convinced that the principles…

Food for thought

October 31, 2011International16 Comments

Khaw Boon Wan, a Singaporean minister, recently declared that “Bhutan is not the Shangri-la on earth”, and that the Bhutanese are an “unhappy people” for who “Singapore could well be the Shangri-la!” Mr Khaw’s remarks, which were made in Singapore’s parliament, have upset a lot of people in our country. That is natural. He has attacked our image. He has challenged GNH. And he has insulted our people. So, many of us are angry. Even so, we should listen to him. And if what he has said carries even a grain of truth, we should listen carefully. We should,…

GNH vs GDP

July 3, 2010Government8 Comments

How important is GNH to the government? In the prime minister’s State of the Nation address (which, incidentally, sounded more like a political campaign speech than a statement by the head of government) GNH was mentioned 14 times. Plus he made 6 separate references to happiness. On the other hand, he mentioned GDP just once, and that to caution against being “swayed onto the GNP/GDP path.” How important, in reality, is GNH to the government? In the finance minister’s budget report (which explains how the government will finance its policies) GDP was mentioned no less than 46 times. And…

GNH is …

March 9, 2010General

Do you have a favorite GNH quote? Or an anecdote on Gross National Happiness? If so, please share them here. It will help me prepare for an upcoming conference.

Hospitality business

January 13, 2010People, Villages

Shebji is Sombaykha’s northernmost village. And, civil servants, especially Dzongkhag officials, traveling to Sombaykha normally spend a night in there. After walking continuously downhill from Tergola (at about 4000 meters) through alpine meadows, giant rhododendron forests, and subtropical jungle to Shebji (about 1500 meters), most travelers are happy to rest their tired knees in this little hamlet. Now, in accordance with our age-old traditions also still practiced throughout rural Bhutan, travelers can choose to eat and drink, rest and sleep in any one of Shebji’s eight houses. Each one of them would feel honoured and very happy to offer…

Bringing GNH home

November 30, 2009Government13 Comments

GNH is synonymous with Bhutan. So it’s important for us to participate in and contribute to the growing international knowledge base on GNH. Still, I was a little concerned when, recently, our prime minister personally led a 24-member delegation to a GNH conference in Brazil. After all, it had been barely 10 weeks since he had visited Japan to tell them about GNH. Like some, I felt that the PM should have been in attendance when the nation’s highest legislative body was in session. Like others, I believed that he should have stayed behind to help victims of the…

Is the GDP in our GNH?

February 7, 2009Economy

Here’s some good news from the RMA: our GDP, which is about Nu 59 billion, grew by 21.4% in 2007 and increased per capita GDP to US$ 1900. Not bad. We now have the highest GDP per person in South Asia. But what does this mean?Do you contribute your share to the GDP? If you do, you would have contributed US$ 1900 worth of goods or services to the economy. And if you do that, you would earn US$ 1900 in one year. Now US$ 1900 is roughly Nu 95,000 which is about Nu 7,900 a month. Do you…

Happiness for me

November 24, 2008General

More than 90 scholars from 25 countries have descended on Thimphu to participate in the 4th International Conference on GNH. The conference, which is organized by the Centre for Bhutan Studies, was inaugurated this morning.Interest in GNH is growing. And every year, many more sociologists, economists, psychologists, politicians and even businessmen and women join the ranks of GNH believers. What do most of them do? They conduct study, research, survey, analyze, hypothesize, and propose theories. They publish. And we are blessed with a growing library on the important subject of GNH.Let me also share my thoughts – simple and…