Bhutanese flag on Adidas shoes cause national uproar
The Bhutanese are shocked by the use of the national flag –a very holy symbol– on the latest type of Adidas Shoes found in Bangkok. The people feel insulted by the company’s abuse of the Druk Gyalkhap as a marketing gimmick. The issue has been taken up by Bhutan’s foreign ministry and the Bhutanese Embassy in Thailand. As a result, the shoes will be withdrawn from the market. Read more

Can Bhutan maintain free health care?
As healthcare costs increase and more people demand quality services, Bhutan’s Minister of Health faces great challenges to sustain free health care. The health Ministry needs Nu 164 million for various unplanned activities and has asked for an additional Nu 26 million for non-communicable disease. The rates of drugs and alcohol abuse are vastly increasing and due to an unhealthy lifestyle more and more people suffer from diabetes and hypertension. In addition, the Bhutanese have more mental health problems because of rapid socio-cultural transformation. And then there’s a shortage of doctors, nurses and allied health workers… Read more

Bhutan food: world food!
Are you a lover of tshoem, ema-datsi, eue chum and other Bhutanese delicacies? Then you don’t want to miss the cookbook ‘Foods of the Kingdom of Bhutan’. Author of the 100-page book with 24 tasteful recipies are Ernest and Erik Nagamatsu. Their book competes with 46 other titles for the best cookbook of the year Award. Which book wins, will be announced during the Paris Cookbook Fair, which will be held March 3rd 2011 on the first day of Paris Cookbook Fair. Read more

Bhutan attends international climat conference
Bhutan was one of the countries attending an international conference on Climate Change in December. Although the expectations were low, the outcome could be good news for Bhutan. The attending countries reached an agreement to reduce climate change and poor countries like Bhutan can expect substantial funds to reduce the global warming effects. Because Bhutan is land-locked and knows a fragile mountainous ecosystem, the country is rather vulnerable to climat change. Read more

Smoking in Bhutan: import your tobacco
If you visit Bhutan and you’re a tobacco lover, know you have to import your cigarettes or sigars. Importing tobacco is only allowed for personal consumption: 200 cigarettes, 30 sigars or 150 grams of tobacco per month. On entering Bhutan, you have to pay 100% sales tax and 100% customs duty. This is the result of the strict Tobacco Control Act the governement implements as of January 1st 2011. Read more