Bhutan
3.6 Bhutan Services
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Overview

Most of the services required by any agency are available in Bhutan, though the capacity could be limited and quality not up to international standard especially in the isolated districts away from the major towns and cities. Availability and capacities of various service providers are explained in more details in the following sections.

For more information on company contact details, please see the following link: 

4.11 Bhutan Additional Services Contact List

Accommodation

Major urban centres and tourist destinations in Bhutan like Thimphu, Paro, Phuentsholing and Bumthang have a number of decent and standard guest house accommodation and hotels. However, other small towns and districts have only a limited number of accommodation options. For example, there is not a single standard tourist hotel in Gasa and Dagana districts. Therefore, Bhutan, in the event of large influx of people during an emergency might face challenges in terms of accommodation.

The website below provides the details of hotels in each district such as contact address, pictures and prices.

http://www.hotel.bt/

Electricity and Power

Electricity is the main source of power in Bhutan. In cooperation with the Government of India, Bhutan is undertaking several hydroelectric projects whose output is traded between the countries making hydropower the top contributor to Bhutan’s GDP. Though Bhutan's many hydroelectric plants provide energy far in excess of its needs in the summer, dry winters and increased fuel consumption demands Bhutan to import energy from India.

Power in Bhutan controlled by Department of Energy (DoE), its subsidiary Bhutan Electricity Authority (BEA) under the  Ministry of Economic Affairs. While the DoE formulates policy, planning, and coordination, the BEA is the main regulatory agency of the energy sector. Bhutan Power Corporation (BPC) is responsible for transmission, distribution and supply of electricity within Bhutan.

Electricity in Bhutan is quite stable with minimum down time and is connected through a national grid and spans to even the remote part of the country. In 2015, Bhutan generated around 7,747 million units(mu) out of which around 2000 mu was consumed domestically while the rest was exported to India.

 

Electricity and Power Summary Table

Production Unit

Type

(Hydroelectric, Thermal, etc.)

Installed

Capacity (MW)

Current Production (MW)

Chukha Hydro Power Corporation

Hydroelectric

 336 MW

 

Tala Hydropower Project

 

Hydroelectric

 1020 MW

 

Kurichhu Hydropower Project

 

Hydroelectric

60 MW

 

Basochhu Hydropower Project

 

Hydroelectric

 40 MW

 

Dagachhu Hydropower Project

 

Hydroelectric

 126 MW

 

 

There are three additional hydro power projects that are currently under construction phase and likely to be completed in coming two to three years. These projects are Punatsangchhu Hydroelectric Project (1200 MW), Punatsangchhu-II Hydroelectric Project (1020 MW) and Mangdechhu Hydroelectric Project (720 MW).

Financial Services

There are 7 financial institutions in Bhutan; Bank of Bhutan (BoB), Bhutan National Bank (BNB),  Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) Tashi Bank (TBank), Druk Punjab National Bank (DPNB), Royal Insurance Corporation of Bhutan (RICB) and Bhutan Insurance Limited (BIL). Of these 7, BOB, BNB and BDBL have their network throughout the country and they provide a wide range of banking services on a real time basis including  cash deposit transactions, loans of different types, withdrawals, loan repayment, account inquiries, fund transfers, remittances etc.

Bhutan Development Bank Limited (BDBL) has 33 branches and 3 regional offices across the country while Bank of Bhutan (BoB) has a network of 29 branches and 18 extension counters. BoB has the largest network of 82 ATMs spread across the country while BNB has 40 ATMs.

Bank of Bhutan (BoB)

Established by Royal Charter in May 1968, Bank of Bhutan (BoB) is the oldest bank in the country. It also acted as the Central Bank of Bhutan till the Royal Monetary Authority of Bhutan was set up in 1982. Registered under the Companies Act of the Kingdom of Bhutan 2000, as a public sector commercial bank, it was the country’s only banking institution until 1997.

Today, BoB is the largest commercial bank in Bhutan, with a  presence in every Dzongkhag (District), and major towns through a network of 47 branch offices. With the adoption of Core Banking Solution in 2009, banking operations were automated. This saw the emergence of ATMs, Internet Banking, POS and Mobile & Agency Banking Services as alternate channels to deliver banking services.

Company Overview

Company Name

Bank of Bhutan

Address

Babesa, Thimphu Bhutan
Post Box No.102

 

Available?

Comments

(max / min transfer or exchange amounts, etc.)

Has IBAN, BIC, or SWIFT number?

Yes

 SWIFT BHUBBTBT

Provides currency exchange?

Yes

 

Will initiate / receive wire transfers?

Yes

 

Provides Loan / Credit services?

Yes

 

Other Comments or Key Information

More information can be obtained from http://bob.bt

 

Other Locations

Region(s)

Service Location(s)

Entire Bhutan

BoB  has 29 branches and 18 extensions office across Bhutan

 

 Bhutan National Bank Limited (BNBL)

BNB was incorporated as the second Bhutanese banking company in 1995. Since then, the bank has been rapidly expanding. BNB today has 11 branches and 19 extension offices across the country.

BNB's mission is to become the leading "Relationship Bank" in Bhutan; offering an array of banking products and services such as customized loans, investments, letter of credits, foreign exchange and remittances to advisory services.

 

Company Overview

Company Name

Bhutan National Bank Limited(BNBL)

Address

Thimphu Thromde, Post Box: 439

 

Available?

Comments

(max / min transfer or exchange amounts, etc.)

Has IBAN, BIC, or SWIFT number?

Yes

BNBTBTBT

Provides currency exchange?

Yes

 

Will initiate / receive wire transfers?

Yes

 

Provides Loan / Credit services?

Yes

 

Other Comments or Key Information

More information can be obtained from http://bnb.bt

 

Other Locations

Region(s)

Service Location(s)

BNB is present in all the regions of the country.

BNBL services are located all over the country.

Bhutan Development Bank Limited(BDBL)

BDB (Bhutan Development Bank Limited) which was formerly known as BDFC (Bhutan Development Finance Corporation) was incorporated by the Royal Charter of the BDFC 1988 under the command of His Majesty the Fourth King Jigme Singye Wangchuck on 31st January 1988 with assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to function as a development financial institution (DFI)

BDB is the only Bank that gives focus to the rural farmers and immediately assumed responsibility for the nation-wide credit program, which mainly provide seasonal, small and medium term loans to the country’s small farmers. It had also commenced its Industrial Lending operations providing term finance and working capital for industrial and Agro-based ventures.

 BDBL has three regional offices, 34 branch offices, 12 field offices and 5 extension offices nationwide.

 

Company Overview

Company Name

Bhutan Development Bank Limited(BDBL)

Address

Nordzin Lam, Thimphu, Bhutan

 

Available?

Comments

(max / min transfer or exchange amounts, etc.)

Has IBAN, BIC, or SWIFT number?

No

 

Provides currency exchange?

No

 

Will initiate / receive wire transfers?

 No

 

Provides Loan / Credit services?

Yes

 

Other Comments or Key Information

 

 

Other Locations

Region(s)

Service Location(s)

BDBL has three regional offices, 34 branch offices, 12 field offices and 5 extension offices nationwide.

 

Clearing and Forwarding Agents

All border towns (Phuentsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar) have private clearing and forwarding agents certified by Department of Revenue and Customs. Services provided include, preparation of clearing documents, transportation and assistance in clearing the goods from Bhutan Customs. Since, Phuentsholing is the main commercial hub and border crossing point, most of the clearing and forwarding agents are based in Phuentsholing.

Handling Equipment

Cargo and freight are handled manually in Bhutan and as such handling equipment is not available.

Postal and Courier Services

Bhutan Post Corporation Limited (BPCL) is the main postal and courier service provider in Bhutan. The head office is based in Thimphu, but it has branches in all the Dzongkhags (districts) and towns managed by four regional offices. BPCL is also an agent for FedEx in Bhutan. There are other courier services such as DHL and TNT that provides mail and couriers services both within as well as outside Bhutan.

Printing and Publishing

There are around 30 printing and publishing companies in Bhutan and most of them are based in Thimphu. Some of the bigger printing and publishing houses are KMT Group, Kuensel Corporation, Bhutan Publishing House and Pharma Printing Press.

Taxi Companies

There are over 4000 registered taxis in Bhutan and though most of them are based in Thimphu and Phuentsholing, every Dzongkhag (district) has a good number of taxis. Road Safety and Transport Authority (RSTA) is the regulatory authority for all taxis in Bhutan. Most of the taxis are reliable and safe however, some of them sometimes might charge inflated fares depending on the demand of taxi services and the season. The vehicles do not have a meter.

Vehicle Rental

Vehicle Rental companies are available only in Thimphu, Paro and Phuentsholing. In other Dzongkhags (districts), there are no such rental companies. However, these rental companies can also provide vehicles to other Dzongkhags when required. A medium sized organization coming to Bhutan may be able to meet their initial needs through renting.

Waste Management and Disposal Services

The National Environment Commission Secretariat (NECS) is the overall regulatory authority responsible for overseeing and implementing the provisions in the Act and Regulation. The implementation of Waste Regulation began from 18 April 2012.  The regulations clearly identify the roles and responsibilities of different implementing agencies to ensure sound waste management.

The Waste Prevention and Management Act and Regulation, 2012 stipulates the promotion of the principles of 3Rs (Reduce, Re-use and Re-cycle). Greener Way and Clean Bhutan are two waste management companies in Bhutan, that collect, transport, sort and recycle waste in an environmentally friendly way. Every Dzongkhags and Thromdes have been allotted an area to be used as landfills and provided with waste collecting vehicles, but considering the increasing amount of waste being generated every day, these landfills and collection vehicles have proved to be grossly inadequate against the demand of the situation.

There are at least nine Acts that are directly or partially related to waste management in Bhutan. However, implementing and collaborating agencies, Dzongkhags and Thromdes are facing acute resource challenges and are calling upon the National Environment Commission (NEC) for better resources and suggesting revision of the waste prevention and management rules 2012. Lack of collection vehicles and landfill sites are the major issues facing the municipal authorities and Dzongkhag administrations.

Bhutan Youth Development Fund (YDF) has a paper recycling plant that recycles used paper and makes egg trays. Greener ways supplies the paper to the unit. Due to lack of recycling plants in Bhutan, most of the recyclable waste is sent to India for recycling.

More information on waste management and prevention can be found in National Environment Commission’s website:

http://www.nec.gov.bt/nec1/index.php/waste/

Waste Disposal Non-Hazardous

As outlined in the earlier section and despite limitations, every Dzongkhag (districts) and Thromde (municipality) has in place a system for collection, segregation and disposal of hazardous as well as non-hazardous waste.

The Waste Prevention and Management Regulation 2012 requires that any waste generated besides being collected, transported, sorted and recycled in an environmentally sound way, also needs to ensure the occupational health and safety of personnel handling the waste.

More information on waste management and prevention can be found in National Environment Commission’s website:

http://www.nec.gov.bt/nec1/index.php/waste/

Waste Disposal Hazardous

 The Waste Prevention and Management Regulation of 2012 states that no hazardous waste shall be imported into the kingdom of Bhutan. No individual or firm shall export hazardous industrial waste, raw materials for industrial processes or as by-products of industrial processes without the prior consent of the importing country.

The Waste Prevention and Management Act, 2009 also requires that e-waste (electronic waste) is disposed of in an environmentally sound and safe manner using a system of collection, treatment and self-disposal. Despite Bhutan being a signatory to the Basel Convention and having necessary regulations in place, the government is yet to dispose of its e-waste in an environmentally friendly way. The Department of Information and Technology (DIT) plans to recruit an e-waste management entity soon, which will be responsible for collecting, sorting and disposing e-waste in an environmentally safe and secure manner.

Currently, e-waste generated by the government is collected at the warehouse of the Department of National Properties (DNP) located in Chamzamtog. The DNP then auctions this e-waste to scrap dealers, both local and from India.

More information on waste management and prevention can be found in National Environment Commission’s website: http://www.nec.gov.bt/nec1/index.php/waste/

 

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.

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