Bhutan's Thinley still on the happiness trail

The defeat of former Bhutanese Prime Minister Jigmi Y Thinley's party in the Himalayan nation's second general election this month came as a surprise to most observers, given his international stature. However, in hindsight, the reasons are discernible, and point to popular disapproval of his aggressive pursuit of what can be termed as "Bhutanese exceptionalism."

Bhutan was one of the most isolated nations until recent years. Its currency was introduced and borders were opened to foreign tourists as late as in the 1970s. Its first television set and Internet cafe arrived only by 2000. But Thinley, the first democratically elected prime minister, led the nation to become a leader in placing happiness at the heart of the global economic agenda.

Thinley's name is often associated with "gross national happiness," Bhutan's unique way of measuring progress of the nation with happiness and wellbeing of its people, as opposed to purely economic yardsticks such as gross domestic product.

Empowered by a UN General Assembly resolution, Thinley, as a representative of the tiny country, last year lectured the world about the need to adopt happiness as a key component of a nation's economy.