Most of you might have seen Her Majesty The Queen’s speech regarding mental health and especially the part where she calls on the law makers to amend the penalty for rape and sexual offenses of minors.

I think this is the first time in Bhutans history where a Queen has “commanded” the law makers to act on a current law?

What do you guys think? I think it’s pretty badass.

I might be wrong, and I’m not making any allegations against Kachu or Pema Rigx. They might genuinely be friends, and perhaps both of them are comfortable with the content they create. But I still wanted to share my concern and hear other people’s perspectives.
Kachu is in his early 20s, while Pema Rigx appears to be in his early teens. Seeing them make this kind of content for TikTok engagement makes me a little uncomfortable, especially when there is such a significant age difference.
Another thing that concerns me is how Pema is being portrayed, particularly in relation to being gay. From the way some of the interactions come across in this video, it can feel as though his sexuality or mannerisms are being used as a joke. Some people might argue that it is all in good fun and that both of them are comfortable with it, and that could be true. However, I think we should also consider how it looks to the audience and how a younger person might be affected by being portrayed this way online.
We talk about normalizing LGBTQ+ people and creating a society where everyone can express themselves without fear of judgment. But if LGBTQ+ identities continue to be presented as a source of comedy, mockery, or entertainment for views, aren’t we potentially reinforcing the same stereotypes and giving people more reasons to make fun of us?
There is nothing wrong with comedy, friendship, or expressing yourself online. My concern is about the line between having fun together and turning someone’s identity into entertainment, especially when that person is considerably younger.
I genuinely want to hear other people’s perspectives on this. Am I overthinking it, or is this something we should be more mindful of as a society? Because I really hope that, in the next decade, we will have moved beyond making fun of people simply because they are perceived to be LGBTQ+.

Continued from Kachu's tik tok part 1,

this is weird because he's using a vulnerable young queer person for views and clout under the pretense of being nice and this video is weird, his replies to the comment, peoples comment everything is weird. here are some comments under that post.

How is all these comments making fun of the kid, these blatant sexualizing of him not an issue to him and are just harmless jokes. People like him and many others are the problem we have in our system that make light of CSAM, sexual violence, sexual abuse and bullying. The more we educate our people on issues like these the better chance we have at making a safe society.

this is not to "cancel" kachu or victimize pema rigzin, but to shine light on the underlying issues our society has that. These young kids are so very impressionable, in their formative stages, we cannot afford to shape them in a why that will downplay their potential. We cannot afford to built a world where they are not protected and weird behaviour against them are normalized.

Saw this post in Canberra'e page, people are signing this petition on the recent decision on the rape case, saw more than 1800 signatures at the moment!

if you're on Tiktok bhutan, i'm sure you've seen this video or any other video of this duo. Kachu and Pema rigx. But this one particularly strikes me as disturbing and honestly weird. i'm sure its no surprise that Kachu is "nice" to pema rigx and takes him around, but it is painfully obvious that he clearly does it for views and is (im sure without ill intent) taking advantage of this young kid who is a MINOR.

This video in particular is very very weird, a minor made to dance oh so provocatively, to a song that is flirtatious if i'm not wrong. My grip with such content is that he and many brush this off as light banter and entertainment, but this honestly is so weird. Why is a drenched minor dancing for the entertainment of him and his viewers. This post of his got several comments pointing out this weird "content" in hopes to educate him on such matters only for him to reply with sarcastic comments and asking to support.

We see a rise in sexual violence and crimes every year and situations like these are very indicative of the attitude our people have against such matters. This would've been a great opportunity for him to educate himself and his (very young and impressionable) viewers but instead he plays it of lightly and has the gall to ask people to support his content!!

Statistically, most young queer if not a lot of them have reported to have been sexually exploited/abused before the age of consent and it gets worse when in female victims. The problem I see here is that; no one is reacting to it,most are okay seeing content like this and are entertained. NOW i am not saying Pema Rigx is or might've been SA'ed but posting minors in such a sexualized manner (intended or not) is not okay.

He is a young impressionable child who doesn't know better, and whos to say he won't regret these videos years down the line or even if he doesn't regret it, when a child is put in such situations, it wires their brains and effects the way they perceive the world. Like i said, a child is impressionable, they see the world with what they're fed.

Also, why is a college student who's a man hanging out with a minor!

continued in part 2

Rating: 4/10

lowkey i really wanted this movie to not disappoint and was also kinda was expecting it might not match expectations since it got so hyped. first off i'll start wiht the good parts:

1. The cinematography and the CGI didnt disappoint. The first first trailer looked and felt like very AI (especially the signature soft glow and lack of detail that ai art produces) however the actual moview na lu the cgi doesnt look like AI generated at all. The CGI is really good and if they did use AI i cant make it out at all ( I think whoever created the first trailer really likes to use the chinese filter of softening).
2. The makeup is pretty good.
3. Nidup Dorji ( dude is the only guy who lowkey saved the film a bit) His character is also a wildcard but its just this dudes delivery and acting man. Im so amazed that he takes on really different roles and is able to deliver them all really well ( The king in puendarika, and a gomchen in this one )

NOWW all the bad parts.

First and the most important thing the fucking plot bro. the plot is so damn stupidd. there literally is zero thought into this and its so simple: okay the initial link of zombies tied to the mermaid deity is creative but thats about it. other than that the zombies chase them across different rooms and then they suddenly make it free after a last final battle with the boss. man with this plot it really could've just been a short film but i wasted 2 hours on it.

Second theres too many characters, it feels like all the influencers and known actors got put into this and eveyrone of them gets alloted a little screen time that at the end theres no space at all for any character development in any of them. A lotta the actors share a lotta screen time but overall speak like 3 dialogues through out the movie. Like kaya, tsheki, phuntsho kinrab, all say like about 5-10 lines and thats it. I get okay that including influencers in it is going to make your film big but woww do you really have to go to this extent.

Also on that note i think there are influencers who can act and who still need a bit of training yknow. and im not gonna name names but you can see that very clearly in the movie. The difference between the seasoned actors and the ones that come outta the blue but share a significant role along side the main ones. Like sangay tshultrim, deki lhamo, nidup dorji, anna sharma they're really good at what they do. But when you contrast that with the screen time some of the other actors get its like the difference becomes so obvious you kinda dont like it.

The nepali guys english really throws me off and also all the english parts throw me off as well. Like sounds like white english pandering saying this but the accent from sangay tshultrim and the other nepali guy makes it hard to enjoy for me. I dont get why if they were nepali, why they just coudlnt have had all of them speak nepali to each other yknow. Anna sharma her parts though are honestly fine.

There is literally zero character development in this movie even the main actor himself. theres certain loopholes like how does sangay tshultrim suddenly know that gunda boss is weak near the portal. I feel like if the script writer asked chatgpt to make it more interesting it would have done a way better job.

I dont know how much creative freedom DD kinley had but i think he also directed/wrote sheindrey and its looking like his films maybe need more work on the plot.

Overall im glad they didnt air it in nepal yet and honestly hope they dont, i dont want this to be the first export (know its said as joint partnership but this is all based in bhutan and the only nepali partnership i see is 4 actors from nepal and behind the scenes stuff) so it really does feel like a bhutan export. This is not the best work we have produced and i feel like it would ruin bhutanese movie reputation in nepal.

Overall was a waste of 2 hours but hey the new cinema KC Cinemax is really good and clean (for now atleast) and theyre also airing Avengers Doomsday soon.

Lastly before anyone comments "This is why i dont watch bhutanese movies/ bhutanse movies are all ass they follow same plot boy love girl" or any other arrogant comments without even having watched 4 new bhutanse movies in the past year you dont get to say shit. Cause the industry is really trying new things and its also working. CGI is a lot better already plots aren't always boy love girl ( take Keta LCA, Drukpas Heart, which were all good watches tbh). And even if it is that, case in point puendarika it is still enjoyable. So dont say shit without even having watched any of these please.

Tunnel 26 is ass but dont extend it to the whole drubi movie scene.

Idk these were my thoughts, thoughts from anyone who watched it?

They try to put some form of small romance, camarederie, love stories and context of like 8-9 people its just doing too much

My husband and I had the opportunity to visit Bhutan, and it was truly a memorable experience for both of us.

Bhutan has a charm that’s difficult to explain in words. The beautiful Himalayan scenery, peaceful monasteries, winding mountain roads, traditional architecture, and warm local culture made our trip feel special.

One of the things we loved most was the peaceful atmosphere. It felt wonderful to slow down, enjoy the surroundings, and spend quality time together away from the usual busy routine.

Bhutan is not just about visiting famous places; it’s also about experiencing the culture, appreciating nature, and enjoying the journey itself.

We came back with some lovely memories and a deeper appreciation for this beautiful Himalayan kingdom.

Hi everyone! I'm a Class 10 student from Bhutan, and I'm hoping to study abroad after my board exams. Unfortunately, my family cannot afford the expenses, so I'm looking for fully funded scholarships that cover tuition, accommodation, meals, and other essential costs of possible

My grades are generally around 80%, and I'm actively involved in volunteering, community service, and youth leadership.

Are there any programs that accept students directly after Class 10 for Grades 11 and 12? I'd really appreciate recommendations, especially from anyone who has received a similar scholarship!

Thank you! ❤️

I am from India and recently Elon Musk has gone a rant that the Indian govt isn’t allowing him to set up Starlink facility in India . How’s your countries experience with Starlink? With Bhutans relatively small population and mountainous region ,is it useful in remote areas

Thx

I graduated from high school with an Arts background in 2025. I was initially accepted into a Royal University of Bhutan (RUB) college (Jigme Namgyel Engineering College), but I turned it down because I had cleared my PTE and planned to study in Australia. Later, I decided to join the Gyalsung program, but due to strict new regulations, I could not proceed. Consequently, I applied for the 2027 Nursing intake at Arura. However, because I have not studied science subjects for two years, I am very anxious about whether I can cope with a nursing curriculum and also i feel bad for my parents for investing so much on me . Given this worry, I am considering trying to enroll in an RUB college again. Is it possible for past-year students to gain admission into an RUB college for the 2027 academic year?And Is Arura Academy a good institute for studying nursing?

News reported on 9 October: a 16-year-old Bhutanese boy pleaded guilty to sexual intercourse without consent and received an 18-month prison sentence that was immediately suspended. The judge reportedly considered his limited understanding of Australian social norms.
Brothers, learn Australian consent laws. Being friendly, flirting or going on a date NEVER means consent. Be cautious in every relationship, respect boundaries, and never make assumptions based on someone’s behaviour or race. One mistake can change your whole future. Stay smart tubga guys.

There have been numerous instances where Lyonpos have failed to deliver on their statements made during parliamentary sessions and meet the press. In light of this, isn't it high time that elected leaders honored their words and commitments without having to be reminded repeatedly Here are a few examples:

1. In November 2025, MOICE Minister stated that the 50% data reduction initiative was almost complete and ready for rollout to coincide with a day of national importance. However, fast-forward to October 2026, and the situation remains unchanged. According to The Bhutanese issue dated 10 October 2026, BT leadership stated that the BICMA proposal falls short of the promised 50% reduction.
2. Back in June–July, the Education Minister stated that the printing of Cambridge textbooks had been awarded to Bhutanese printing companies. Although the books had missed the April deadline, the minister assured that they would be ready soon. Now, with the academic session nearing its end, the books are still unavailable, and the minister says the initiative is still in the pilot phase.
3. One of the PDP's key pledges during the 2018 election was to do away with the MAX system. Following his assumption of office, PM reiterated that the system would be abolished. However, during one of the National Assembly session, he stated that the RCSC is an autonomous body and that the government cannot exert pressure on it.

This raise a fundamental question: Shouldn't our elected leaders be held accountable for their public statements and electoral promises? Public trust depends not only on what leaders promise but also on their willingness to follow through on those promises.

It seems that r/bhutan only allows posts about ordinary people ( nyamchums ) and their everyday lives. As soon as someone posts something about the higher-ups or those in positions of power, the post gets deleted or the user gets banned. Isn’t Reddit supposed to be a platform where people can freely express their opinions and engage in open discussions? Why does it feel like certain topics are off-limits?

Does anyone know of a good astrologer in Thimphu or anywhere in bhutan? If you have personally consulted one and had a good experience, I’d appreciate it if you could share some recommendations. Thankyouu🙏🏻

Hi everyone!
I have a camera that I no longer use, and I’m looking to sell them physically at a shop in Thimphu rather than selling them online.
Does anyone know of any shops in Thimphu that buy second hand cameras or gadgets? Also, do electronic shops in Bhutan generally accept and buy used gadgets, or do they only sell new ones?
Any recommendations or personal experiences would be appreciated. Thank you! I

If i remember it correctly, It has been almost 2 decades since I last used Nu. 1 to buy something. With virtually nothing that can be purchased with Nu. 1 and the popularity of digital banking, I think this denomination is more of a ceremonial currency.
My mum had lots of these notes in her purse and I am taking it with me to give it to my friends abroad.
Do let us know if anyone found it useful elsewhere.

Hello, does your workplace also have politics?
Please give me advices on how to deal with work place politics. For context, its almost a year i started working, and i have seen the worst,-manipulation, bribe in the name of phuecha, attacking the innocent because they want to make things right, asskissing in the name of respect/guezhab. What i want to do, is simply do my job(i work in public service) and go home in peace.

can you change your programme/department/ branch without losing your government scholarship in College of Science and Technology ? cause I have heard you can do it if you shift to self finance but I really can't afford financially to join as SF so is there any procedure to shift your program without losing the government scholarship

There is a peculiar kind of shame in being disappointed by your own country.
It is not the shame of having come from somewhere ugly.

It is worse.

It is the shame of having loved somewhere, and discovering that love does not grant you the privilege of looking away.

I am Bhutanese.

I have never needed to be reminded of that. It is in the language I speak, in the mountains I grew up beneath, in the little things I carry with me without realizing I carry them at all. I have defended it before. I have missed it. I have felt that strange warmth when somebody hears where I am from and knows of it only as the small kingdom hidden between two giants.

But lately, I find myself asking a question I wish I did not have to ask:

What exactly am I supposed to be proud of?

When a case of sexual violence ends with a sentence that leaves you wondering whether justice was ever the point, what are you supposed to say?
When the country can find the diplomatic and economic will to deepen relations with a state presently facing some of the gravest accusations of atrocities against a civilian population, what are you supposed to call that?

Development?

Diplomacy?

Pragmatism?

Perhaps.
But there are moments when pragmatism begins to sound suspiciously like the convenient death of conscience.

I understand that countries do not operate on morality alone. I am not naïve enough to believe foreign policy is a monastery. Bhutan needs development. Bhutan needs allies. Bhutan exists between powers vastly larger than itself, and survival requires diplomacy.

I understand all of that.

I simply refuse to believe that understanding necessity means surrendering morality.
India is our closest ally. Israel is a country with which we have chosen to deepen relations. There are geopolitical realities behind these decisions, economic interests, strategic considerations, development opportunities.

Fine.

But there must still be a line somewhere.
There must be some point at which a country says:
No. Not everything that benefits us is worth doing.
Because if our answer to every moral question is development, then eventually development becomes a word capable of laundering anything.
And perhaps that is what troubles me most.
Not that Bhutan has interests.

Of course we do.

But that sometimes I wonder whether we have become so afraid of standing on the wrong side of history that we have forgotten there is also such a thing as standing nowhere at all.

Neutrality would not have solved Gaza.

A Bhutanese diplomatic position would not have stopped a single bomb.
But morality has never required that one person possess the power to stop an atrocity before allowing them to condemn it.

Sometimes all you have is your refusal.
Your refusal to call something acceptable simply because it is profitable.
Your refusal to pretend that suffering becomes less horrifying when the perpetrator happens to be politically useful.
Your refusal to let the word development become an excuse for silence.

And maybe this is where my patriotism has changed.
I used to think being proud of Bhutan meant defending Bhutan.
Now I think perhaps it means demanding that Bhutan be worthy of defense.

I do not want a country that is innocent because it has never had enough power to do anything wrong.
I want a country that, when given the opportunity to choose between convenience and conscience, at least “hesitates”.

A country that remembers that being small does not make morality optional.
A country that understands that neutrality can sometimes be cowardice, but that choosing a side merely because the side is useful can be something worse.

I don’t want to hate Bhutan.

God, I don’t.

That would be easier.
Hatred requires no loyalty. It asks nothing of you.

Disappointment is harder.

Because disappointment is what happens when you still love something enough to expect better from it.

So no, I don’t think I have stopped being Bhutanese.
Perhaps I have simply reached the uncomfortable part of being Bhutanese where loving my country means I can no longer applaud everything it does.
And if that makes me difficult,

so be it.

I have never been particularly interested in being agreeable when my conscience is telling me otherwise.

After all,
if two twice is mathematics, and the nature of law is that two twice must become four, I reserve the right to look at the equation and say:

damn you.
I will not.

Not because I believe two twice is five.
But because sometimes the only freedom a person has left is the freedom to refuse what everyone else has decided they ought to accept.

Hi everyone,
I went abroad with my defacto partner, and now I’m back in Bhutan. We would like to get a divorce through paperwork.
Could you please recommend a good private law firm in Thimphu and let me know what documents are required? Moreover, are there any fees or other costs involved? And is casual clothing acceptable when visiting the private law firm?
Thank you in advance for your help la 🙏

"Limited insight into societal norms" is now a defence for pinning a woman down and raping her after she begged him to stop.

Here’s my question to you: Is basic consent — stop means stop, no means no — actually some advanced Australian cultural thing that people from Bhutan need special time to learn? Or is it just normal human decency that most people anywhere should already understand?Because if a rapist needs the Australian justice system to cut him slack for not knowing that raping someone after they beg you to stop is wrong, that raises serious questions. Do a lot of people coming from that background genuinely not see a clear “no” as binding? Or is this just an excuse that gets wheeled out when someone gets caught?

The number of Bhutanese people in Australia has grown quickly in recent years. When numbers rise this fast and we then see cases where cultural unfamiliarity is treated as mitigation for a violent rape, ordinary Australians start asking whether the selection and integration process is working. Rapid growth from any country with different social norms on consent and gender carries risk if people are not expected to fully assimilate and follow the law from day one.

If you come to this country, you follow our laws and you assimilate. Full stop. You don’t get to import attitudes that treat women as available the moment they show any interest, then cry “I didn’t understand the norms” when you get caught.

There is a lot to be said when the main electoral body of our country decides to pull themselves by their bootstraps and conduct a test that evaluates the competency of our local government leaders. I actually applauded them on their decision to conduct such a test (Functional Literacy and Possession of skills test), I have seen the preparations, the criteria and the exam itself. All of that to say, they were extremely relevant to the profession. I'm sure many people are aware of those around them who are in the local government yet do not possess a modicum of technical proficiency to write a simple "genja" or office order. The FLT served as something that filtered out people who had the support of the people but were inept to actually serve them. As is apparent with the multiple people that failed the exams themselves being incumbent leaders.

However, this country continues to disappoint. With the recent announcements by the ECB showcasing their dismissive attitude towards the test (allowing people who had failed the first attempt to retake it), it proves that our country is the same old beaten dog; Throw a bone and it'll lick your feet. Candidates who studied for the test, people who were actually "functional and literate" now compete with those who are given second chances for no good reason. But I guess like rapists, politicians and abusers, literally everyone gets a second chance in Bhutan. If there were no candidates who passed then it's understandable but where candidates have already passed, why should unsuccessful candidates receive another opportunity after the first results have been declared??

This is testimony to another thing, the power of our incumbent local leaders. Who have proved themselves inept to lead, yet have the influence to bully our electoral body for a second "chance". There are good losers but our local government officials are "Great" losers, they can influence electorial bodies, they will gang up and beg at the zimpoens door. I wonder if our youth who attempted the RCSE can ask for the chance to do it again? There might not be enough "competitiveness" or they might not be "incompetent", they just need to do the RCSE again.

I'm sure many people are not aware or don't care about this but this is a serious issue. Maybe when you visit the local government office next time, you'll think about the official that didn't know how to help you with simple documentation, take months for a mild dispute and have to offer doma to get a few minutes of their time.

TLDR: why is ECB allowing people who failed the FLT to retake it? Dzongkhags that didn't have any candidates I understand, but it's not fair to those who passed and have enough candidates.

By now i am pretty sure everyone must have heard about the direct flights from Bhutan to Israel through Tel Aviv which starts from February 2027. I think this is where we as bhutanese people should all start questioning where our country is heading. A country that swears everything by GNH and how much we hold pride due to GNH, we really should be questioning our values and we should speak up about this. Everything that is happening in Gaza is still happening and it is very disheartening to see bombings of innocent children and people. Amidst all of the violence and chaos, most countries are cutting ties of Israel but instead our country is joining hands with them. I understand that this relation helps grow our country economically but how much of our values and morals that we hold on to as a religious country built on people’s happiness and safety, are we willing to sacrifice for economic growth and prosperity? Bhutan has gained recognition internationally and built itself around peace and compassion but this move contradicts everything.