Bhutan Discovers The Phone Booth

from the a-bit-behind-the-times... dept

Tue, Aug 12th 2003 12:57pm — Mike Masnick

Okay, perhaps, I'm a bit behind on how things work in Bhutan, but it sounds like they're a few generations back when it comes to telephone technologies. While the rest of the post-mobile phone world is trying to figure out just what the hell to do with all their useless phone booths, Bhutan is excited that they're getting their first unmanned phone booths. That's right. It appears the current generation of phonebooths in Bhutan require supervision from a phone booth operator, but now they're going high tech and are going to offer (gasp!) a little box with a phone that lets you dial on your own. The boxes have been built, but no phones have been put in them just yet. Apparently, it's a good thing Clark Kent was never in Bhutan when Superman was needed...

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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2003 @ 1:26pm

Yup
All tourists (group or individual) must travel on a pre-planned, prepaid, guided package tour. Independent travel is not permitted. It is a place a lot like Afghanistan under the Taliban, where women had no rights; however, Westerners regard Tibetan Buddhism as a pet religion, and therefore turn a blind eye to its abuses. Conversely, it could be that the Taliban wanted to become a secluded place like Bhutan.

Next-door Nepal offers a case study of vulgar tourism -- Kathmandu is so choked with dark brown smog that the Everest is invisible on some days. Mopeds roar continuously for 24 hours, Indian pop music blares from loudspeakers on every street corner, and child prostitution is a booming trade.

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aNonMooseCowherd, 12 Aug 2003 @ 2:07pm

No Subject Given
Reminds me of what long distance phone service was said to be like in China some years ago (and may still be like). Before you could make an operseas call, You had to tell the phone operator what language your call was going to be in -- so they could be sure that the government censor monitoring the call would understand what was being said, in case any subversive topics came up.
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Anonymous Coward, 12 Aug 2003 @ 5:51pm

Maybe people don't know how to use phones
This is the latest step in the oppression of the poor, who will no longer receive state support for telephone usage.
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