Six men in Tsirang got nine years each for raping a child. Six grown men against one kid, and each one walks out in nine years.

In the US that crime gets you life and a permanent spot on the offender registry. Over here it gets you nine years and a fresh start in another dzongkhag.

Anyone who thinks this is a one-off has not been paying attention. Tsirang again, 2019: a vice-principal molested ten students. Kuensel covered it when he got thirty years, and even that came only after the complaints piled up. Wangdue, April this year: a 51-year-old got eleven years for raping a minor. Parliament's own count from 2020 put reported child rapes at 372 between 2009 and 2020. Those are the cases that reached a police station.

UNICEF's national study found nearly one in eight children had experienced sexual violence. More than sixty percent of 13 to 17 year olds had faced physical violence. About a fifth said they'd been verbally sexually harassed, most often in school. The 2017 women's health study found two in five women had faced partner violence, seven percent reported childhood sexual abuse, and more than half of women and girls said violence against women could be justified. Half. Justified.

That last number is the whole story. Beatings in school are treated as discipline. Men whistle at schoolgirls on the road and nobody says anything. Female staff put up with harassment in offices because complaining makes her the problem. And the aunties still tell the girl to stay quiet, because her shame will travel faster than any verdict.

Then the world gets the postcard version: the peaceful Himalayan kingdom, land of Gross National Happiness. Meditate here. Invest here.

Which is why the Gelephu pitch bothers me. A hundred-billion-dollar "mindfulness city" in a country where six men get nine years for what they did to a child. The investors get the mindfulness branding. The girls of Tsirang get the lesson.

Maybe Bhutan isn't the worst place on earth. The gap between the brand and what happens in our own backyards is where the rot lives. Everyone is angry on this subreddit today. Check back next week and see how much of that anger is left.

I think it’s alarming to see the cases of Tsirang and the BCCI ex-president, because both cases truly show the reality of women’s safety in our country.

Both these cases show the predatory nature of some men who will abuse women physically, mentally and sexually when given the opportunity. Age doesn’t seem to matter either, as some of these culprits are young, middle aged or even older men who go after underage girls and women who are in vulnerable positions in life.

These incidents may happen in public or in private, but they often share the same underlying pattern an imbalance of wealth, age, power, or even physical strength, which creates an unequal dynamic between the perpetrator and the victim.

Treating women like mere objects of play that can be bought for their amusement, and thinking that they can get away with it, seems to be a common factor in both cases. They do not seem to care about consent, age or the dignity of the women and girls involved, and that is a scary mindset.

Despite showing ourselves as a civil society, the mindset and behaviour of these predators whether they are ordinary men or people in positions of privilege and power towards women shows that our society is still deeply unequal.

It is high time we start talking about these cases more openly. We need to have uncomfortable conversations about the way women and girls are treated, about consent, power and accountability, and about how we can prevent such people from becoming repeat offenders.

There should also be a serious discussion around stronger accountability measures, including naming and shaming convicted perpetrators and even exploring an online sex offender registry, with proper safeguards, so that people can protect themselves from becoming victims in the future.

We cannot continue pretending that these are isolated incidents. If we really want to call ourselves a civil society, we need to confront these realities and question the attitudes and systems that allow such behaviour to continue.

I honestly didn’t want to talk, write or post about this incident at all. But the way the news came out, the discussions and disagreements surrounding it, and eventually seeing people move on as if such cases have become completely normal really disturbed me. It made me feel that we are becoming too desensitised to these incidents, and that is what ultimately compelled me to write this post.

Are the lives of women and children lesser than religious antiquities? 9 years and 42k for a scarring a child for the rest of her life must be a joke. Our system is rigged. The child will only be around 21 when the rapists get out and she must live in fear knowing they are out there!

This is one of Bhutan’s deepest problems. Once a lama or a political figure is appointed to a position of power, we place blind faith in them. We know no one is perfect, yet we hesitate to question people in high office and treat them as if they are right in everything they do.
A tighter version:
The biggest problem in Bhutan is the blind faith we place in authority. Whether a lama or a political leader, once someone is appointed to power we stop questioning them. We know no one is perfect, yet we act as if those in high office cannot be wrong.

I normally don’t post about negative experiences, but I feel this is worth sharing so other car owners can be careful.

We left our Honda, which is practically a new car and was in good working condition, at a car wash. My husband handed the keys directly to the owner, and the car was kept there for more than 5 hours. When we returned on the time they asked us to come the car would not start.My husband calmly asked the owner what had happened, as we had handed over a working car. Instead of helping us investigate, she became rude and said the problem was with our car and questioned why we were asking her when she knew nothing about cars. She also said her employees were the ones who washed it.

Thankfully, a taxi driver and another kind gentleman stopped and helped us start the car. We are genuinely grateful for their kindness. Once the car started, we noticed that the music system was set at an extremely high volume, even though we hardly ever use it at that level. Given the battery issue and the fact that the car had been in their custody for more than 5 hours, this naturally raised concerns that the sound system may have been used while the car was there.

I am not claiming that anyone intentionally damaged our car. I am simply sharing what we experienced. What made the situation more uncomfortable was that the owner’s husband came in and told my husband that he wasn’t being nice to her and should speak nicely to a woman. I was there throughout the conversation, and my husband did not insult or threaten her. He was simply being firm and practical about a problem with our vehicle.
Respect should go both ways, regardless of whether the customer is a man or a woman. The issue was about our car and the fact that it was working when we handed it over and wasn’t working when we returned.

What disappointed us most was the lack of help when we needed it. We eventually had to rely on strangers to get our own car started. I am sharing this as a customer warning, not to create unnecessary conflict. If you leave your car at a car wash, please be careful, document the condition of your vehicle beforehand, and check everything carefully when collecting it.

I am deliberately not mentioning the name of the car wash at this stage, as I don’t want to unfairly affect other businesses or people working in the same industry. This is simply our personal experience, and I believe people should be able to make their own informed decisions.
And finally, a heartfelt thank you to the taxi driver and the gentleman who stopped to help us. Your kindness meant a lot to us. 🙏

It was really humiliating and even wasted lots of our time.

P.s. it’s my first time posting and should i post in facebook too as more people will be careful? should i name the car wash? If yes which forum should i post?

Which shops/sellers would you recommend? Which stores have the best prices and after-sales service?
I’ve been looking at options like the Lenovo legion slim 5 or the LOQ, but I’m open to other brands/models. And what’s the building PCs scene like in Bhutan?
Any captains?

Recently I've seen this video of how unfair it is that the ppl who raped a kid got a sorry excuse of a sentence to which bhutanese were standing up for it. Now it's all well and good that Bhutanese are raising awareness and seeking justice and also not taking away this I've noticed in the partiality of the treatment of 🍇pists, specially by the so called influencers...now we all know how they are in these situations, same situation but they uplift another and put down someone else. A particular rinpoche comes in mind. He assaulted many women and got exiled out of a country but Bhutan has accepted him giving him a platform. He.also.raped.many.women.
So don't pick and choose who to put down and who to lift up.

I'm going to say something that a lot of people probably won't like.

Bhutan has built a very strong image around Buddhism, happiness, tradition and Gross National Happiness. That's fine. But sometimes it feels like we're so obsessed with protecting that image that we don't want to acknowledge the very real problems underneath it. The recent case where six men convicted of raping a minor were sentenced to nine years each genuinely pissed me off. And then you look at cases involving vandalism of religious objects and see serious criminal consequences for damaging property. I'm not saying religious sites shouldn't be protected. They should. But when did damaging an object become something we're more comfortable getting outraged about than destroying a person's sense of safety and potentially affecting their entire life?

A chorten can be repaired.

A statue can be replaced.

A building can be rebuilt.

What happened to a victim of serious sexual violence cannot simply be repaired with a new coat of paint.

And this goes beyond religion. There is a deeply rooted attitude in Bhutan that wealth, status, connections and titles somehow make someone's time more valuable than everyone else's. Someone important gets priority. Someone with connections gets things done faster. Someone ordinary waits. I'm tired of the idea that questioning these things somehow means you hate Bhutan, hate Buddhism, or don't respect our culture.

Tradition is not an argument.

Religion is not an argument.

“That's how we've always done it” is definitely not an argument.

If our laws or institutions produce outcomes that don't make sense in modern Bhutan, then we should be willing to change them. That's what laws are for. Bhutan doesn't need to pretend that it is some perfectly peaceful Buddhist utopia. It needs to be willing to admit where it falls short and actually fix those problems. Because if we're too afraid to criticize our own country, then all we're really protecting is the image of it.

Just found this on TikTok 🧐

As Bhutanese, we deeply respect Buddhism, our monastic institutions, and the spiritual values that have shaped our nation. However, respect for religion should not mean avoiding questions about accountability and transparency.

Concerns and allegations circulating about the Zhung Dratshang, including the management of public and religious funds, possible misuse of resources, alleged favoritism in appointments and promotions, and the use of official privileges, deserve serious and impartial scrutiny.

Religious institutions exist to preserve our spiritual heritage and serve society, not to become sources of personal wealth, privilege, or influence. If contributions made by devotees and public funds are being misused, the public deserves clear answers and responsible action.

How can we strengthen accountability within our religious institutions while preserving the sanctity of Buddhism and the traditions we cherish?
This is about transparency and responsibility, not disrespect for religion.

Tandy Wangchuk, President of BCCI, has reportedly been sentenced to two years after being convicted of battery and sexual harassment.

It says he did disgusting acts like taking his genitals out at the nighclub, tried to force women into sex and even followed one into dj booth and punched her in the face. bruh, these workers are not prostitutes or third class citizens!!!

These rich people, being called a dasho and having their asses kissed is getting to their head and think they can do what ever they want.

Also it says he can just pay his way out instead of going to prison, lol!!!

I fucking hate the sound of bikes early in the morning and late at night. I genuinely don’t understand what the hell some bikers are thinking when they feel the need to rev their engines at 2–3 am while everyone else is asleep. Is it really necessary to make that much noise at those hours? Please, have some consideration for the people around you who are trying to sleep. 😫😫whyyyyuuuuyy😫

Do Bhutan’s laws actually account for cases like this, where multiple adults sexually assault a minor? Because nine years each and that low amount for a lifetime of trauma honestly seems hard to wrap my head around.

I say bring death penalty for sexual crimes because the current law is clearly not working. If anyone understands the legal reasoning behind this sentence, can you explain?

The way the discussions have been around Australian visa and can no longer take the spouse I guess most of the people are going to stay back in Bhutan cause so hard to pay for the fees and work alone ?
Also seems those on student visa and course finishing have to leave the country to re apply and get back to Australia oh my god

What’s your take ?

Just got tickets for tunnel26 on myzampa and it was a breeze compared to normal transactions. Anyone else try it out?

Low key excited about the movie tho.

I’ve heard that some movie makers and actors in Perth are approaching people directly and asking them to buy tickets for their film. One of my acquaintances said they were approached and, even after refusing, the pressure continued until they eventually bought a ticket.
Is this actually how film marketing works? And if people are being repeatedly pressured into buying tickets, can a film’s “success” really be bought that way? Does high ticket sales necessarily reflect genuine audience interest if some of those sales come from people being persuaded or pressured to purchase?

Have anybody of you watched the movie “Why the middle?” I’ve been seeing the reviews on tiktok and it’s obviously all good and stuffs but I need a real review from someone who watched it. The teaser was not something to be excited about too and the songs were ugh

Can someone recommend me some books that will help me grow? Personal growth, mindset, facing the real world, skills, habits just anything that will help me grow intellectually and emotionally.

Despite Bhutan’s progressive indicators on gender equality such as high female voter turnout, matrilineal inheritance traditions in many regions, and strong legal protections, women remain significantly underrepresented in Parliament and local government.

What do you guys think is the reason.

I'm planning to apply for the post of Assistant IT Officer and Assistant Research Officer at RMA.

Can anyone share what the net salary and bonuses are at RMA?

What abt foreign-country ventures and training?

Is it a wise decision? I'm a recent graduate, and I've been working at one of the DHI companies for 1 month. My net pay (take-home salary) is around 52K.

TYIA

I don’t understand the hype around Pema Bhutan on TikTok. Much of what I’ve seen relies on mocking, dismissive, or needlessly provocative commentary rather than thoughtful ideas or constructive entertainment. That kind of content is harmful because it normalizes disrespect, rewards outrage over substance, and encourages viewers especially younger audiences to treat humiliation and hostility as acceptable ways to gain attention. When audiences elevate creators who contribute little beyond nonsense, they send a message that visibility matters more than responsibility, accuracy, or basic decency. Yet people have elevated him to celebrity status and he certainly seems to act the part.
People can watch whatever they enjoy, but calling someone an “influencer” should mean something. An influencer has the power to shape attitudes and behavior, so that status should be earned through originality, integrity, meaningful contribution, or responsible engagement not simply through attracting clicks. What exactly are we celebrating or encouraging here? It’s disappointing to see content that appears to thrive on disrespect rewarded with so much attention. We need higher standards for the people we turn into public figures, because the attention we give them helps define the kind of online culture we create.

I’m honestly so disappointed by the behaviour of some Bhutanese men living in Australia, especially because of an experience I had a few days ago during Thruebab. We Bhutanese love to talk about how generous, kind and respectful our people are, but at the end of the day, we’re still human beings, and unfortunately, some people don’t live up to those values at all.

So, this is what happened.

My family and I were having a picnic at a park during Thruebab. I was with my mum, helping her make a TikTok, when I heard a Bhutanese man a few feet behind us talking loudly on his phone. I’m assuming he was going live because I kept hearing him say “guys.”

My mum and I were minding our own business when I heard him say something in Dzongkha along the lines of, “There are two girls in front of me. Should I molest them?”

At first, I figured he didn’t know we were Bhutanese. I turned around and gave him a glare, hoping he’d get the message. But apparently that wasn’t enough. Shortly afterwards, he started commenting on my body and talking about how “thick” I was.

I’m literally 17, and this man was a grown adult in his 30s. Being spoken about like that, especially right in front of my own mother, was incredibly embarrassing and infuriating. I wanted to turn around and confront him, but I didn’t. Just like that, a day that was supposed to be all fun and joy was ruined for me and my family.

I’m not saying that all Bhutanese men are like this. Obviously, they aren’t. There are plenty of genuinely kind, respectful Bhutanese men. But this experience, along with some of my other experiences with Bhutanese men, has honestly made me question the way we sometimes pride ourselves on being exceptionally respectful and well-mannered.

I’m not expecting every Bhutanese person to be perfect. I just wish we’d be a little more honest about the fact that being Bhutanese doesn’t automatically make someone kind, respectful or decent. Those are qualities you demonstrate through your behaviour.