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Third International Conference on Gross NationalHappiness

22-28 November 2007Nongkhai-Bangkok Thailand

Academic Session

ACADEMIC SESSION


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Gross National Happiness: A New Paradigm?

Academic research is an essential dimension of exploring new paradigms in development.

Global standards for well-being policies are emerging while specic cultural contexts

contribute to understanding happiness in all its manifestations. Once well-being is central in

public policy development, processes of social transformation are needed to move away from

unsustainable economies towards sufciency. Can social transformation be realized withoutinner transformation?

After initial gatherings in Nongkhai 22-24 November, the rst conference-day in Bangkok,

Monday 26 November, will be an opportunity for optional programmes. The Academic Session

will be the major event of this day. Participants can travel to Bangkok directly if they can not

attend the gatherings in Nongkhai.

With the kind support of:

Message from the Chair

With most of the classical economic approaches and well-being indicators falling down one after

the other, facing the growing challenges of globalization, the vision of Gross National Happiness

launched more than 30 years ago by His Majesty King Jigme Singye Wangchuck, is crucial, and

stands even stronger over the fog of modern thinking, like the Himalayan mountains of Bhutan

where it was born.

During the last decades, Thailand has also seen major changes occurring in its socio-economical,

environmental, and cultural realities, and His Majestys philosophy of Sufciency Economy is

providing constant guidance and inspiration for human-driven change, and a living example of

lifelong commitment to research and to the cause of human dignity and happiness.

Converging their efforts to co-organise this 3 rd International Conference on Gross National

Happiness, Thailand and Bhutan have been joined and supported by an increasing number of

specialists coming from every corner of the world: the Academic Session aims at providing the

necessary analysis and rigueur to sustain the longevity of a dramatic paradigm shift in public

policies and individual thinking while also creating the space for innovative and controversial

approaches to the topic and to the very essence and objectives of research itself.

We therefore hope that the dialogue opened by the rst two conferences will be fed by the

collective intelligence and morality that will develop during this Academic Session, strengthening

and recognizing the emerging pillars of a new wisdom.

Associate Profossor Anuchat Poungsomlee

Center for Contemplative Education, Mahidol University


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Academic session overview

Formal conference days in Bangkok are 27 and 28 November 2007. Workshops on 27th

November will have a free, experiential nature, while presentations during the Academic Session

strive for academic quality with the furtherance of co-creation of research frameworks for future

cooperation.

The Academic Session, Monday 26 November 2007, provides a platform for academic

exchanges and the exploration of frameworks for cooperative research. The Academic Session

at Chulalongkorn University is hosted by Assoc. Professor Surichai Wungaeo, Director of theSocial Research Institute.

Papers were invited in, but not limited to, the 9 research domains developed by the Center

for Bhutan Studies as listed below. Proposals for case-stories, workshops, symposia, panels,

and tutorials on current topics of interest and other special sessions, were also invited in all

domains.

The Academic Session, 26 November 2007, will start with a plenary welcome and introductory

address.

The presentation of papers and discussions will be organized in three parallel sessions (morning

and afternoon) according to the overarching research themes:

1. Global Standards and Local Diversity

2. Inner Transformation

3. Social Transformation.

Striking elements of academic work will be presented in the conference plenary, November 28,

2007, together with presentations from a diversity of conference stakeholders.

The 9 research domains are applied by the Center for Bhutan Studies (CBS) as elements of Gross

National Happiness- research in Bhutan, possibly to be synthesized towards a GNH Index. CBS

intends to match these research efforts with related research in other parts of the world. The last

category was the independent domain where innovative and not directly related papers could

be proposed.

Research Domains

01. Psychological Wellbeing 07. Community Vitality

02. Health 08. Ecological Diversity and Resilience

03. Time Use and Balance 09. Living Standards

04. Education 10. Other subjects

05. Cultural Diversity and Resilience

06. Good Governance

Hosting organizations

The Sathirakoses Nagapradipa Foundation (SNF Thailand) and the Centre for Bhutan Studies

(CBS Bhutan) are the co-organizers of the 3rd International Conference on Gross National

Happiness. The Academic Session on the 26 thof November, as well as the workshops and plenary

discussions of the following days, will be hosted by Chulalongkorn University, with the support

of an ad hocAcademic Committee.

Committee Members and Advisors

One of the aims of the 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness is to contribute

to the development, clarication and to strengthen an innovative quality of research. The

network of academics supporting the 3rd International Conference on Gross National Happiness

is constantly growing. Committee members strive for convergence of efforts and welcome

suggestions, advice and involvement.

Academic Committee (Thailand)

Assoc. Prof. Anuchat Poungsomlee (Chair) Center for Contemplative Education, Mahidol

University; Assoc. Prof. Surichai Wungaeo Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn

University; Dr. Noppadon Kannika ABAC Social Innovation, Assumption University of

Thailand; Dr. Chunrurthai Kanchanachitra Institute for Population and Social Research,

Mahidol University; Dr. Narumon Arunothai Social Research Institute, Chulalongkorn

University; Dr. Wanee Pinprathip Wellbeing Strategic Management Center; Dr. Chantana

Wungaeo Human Security research group, Chulalongkorn University; Dr. Michita Champathes

Rodsutti Management and Psychology Institute; Center for Contemplative Education, Mahidol

University - Mr. Chayathorn T. Suwan M.A. Ph.D. candidate, RMIT University, Melbourne;

- Mr. Francesco Volpini M.A. Ph.D. candidate, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales,

Paris.

International Advisory Group

Dasho Karma Ura Center for Bhutan Studies, Bhutan; Prof. Takayoshi

Kusago University of Osaka, Japan; Dr. Ronald Colman GPI Atlantic,

Canada; Prof. John Fien RMIT University, Melbourne, Australia; Mr.

Alan AtKisson President AtKisson Inc., Sweden; Dr. Peter D. Hershock

- Coordinator, Asian Studies Development Program, East-West Center,

Hawaii.


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INTRODUCTION Chulalongkorn University

Auditorium - 9:00 9:30

Welcoming remarks - Assoc. Prof. Surichai Wungaeo Social Research Institute,

Chulalongkorn University.

Moderator - Assoc. Prof. Anuchat Poungsomlee, Chair of the Academic Committee Center for

Contemplative Education, Mahidol University.

3rdInternational Conference on Gross National Happiness

ACADEMIC SESSION

26 November 2007 - 9:00 15:00

PROGRAMME OVERVIEW

Introductory Speech - The introductory speech to the Academic Session

will be held by Dr. Peter D. Hershock, Coordinator of the Asian Studies

Development Program, East-West Center, Honolulu, Hawaii.

Dr. Peter D. Hershock

SESSION I-Mind and Visions

Room 111 9:30 10:30

Dorji, Gem

Happiness and Spirituality

As Buddhists, we believe that the root of happiness can be found within oneself and in order to nd this

contentment one must practice the dharma. Therefore, the monastic body should play a larger role in achieving

GNH by having a more active role as spiritual guides to the Bhutanese people in order to shift the focus away f rom

temporary material happiness to everlasting inner contentment.

Throughout the history of Bhutan, the monastic body has played and integral part in the development of the

country as well as the preservation and promotion of Bhutanese culture. Even during the time of Zhabdrung

Ngawang Namgyal, his vision could not take place until the establishment of the sangha which became the base

for the unication of Bhutan. It is only appropriate that at this time of great change that the monastery continue to

be involved in the development of the country in order to ensure a balance between the spiritual and the secular

needs of the people.

Indaratna, Kaemthong

Sufciency Economy: a Happiness Development approach

Happiness has multi-levels. Most people perceive and understand happiness at the basic level. It is mainly hedonic

happiness or short-term, temporary happiness from gaining and receiving both materials and non-materials. This

basic happiness is based on basic natural instinct. However, human has higher potential than to ac t upon basic

instinct. Human is capable of being extremely destructive as well as constructive. To promote constructive,

peaceful and harmonious living together, human must develop happiness toward higher levels. Sufciency

Economy Approach provides a mind cultivating process that is essential for happiness development toward truehappiness that is beyond the basic happiness level. Such a higher level happiness is indispensable to mitigate

threats to sustainable development. Human must the naturally granted high potentials positively and constructively

with broader and longer perspective. Mind training through Sufciency Economy Approach considers human as

the core of development. It focuses on the strength of humans capabilities and potentials to benet at all levels,

individual, community, national and global. But humans mind, without training to think more broadly and

ethically, will be highly self-centered, destructive and unethical. Through the happiness development process,

humans mind can draw greater happiness from within. Such happiness is less dependent of external inuences,

produces positive outcomes with higher efciency and ethicsthat are crucial for sustainable development

Packard, Aaron and Hickling, Seth

Cultivating the future: integrating idealism and rationality

This paper is a collaborative approach to nding the level of thinking that Einstein suggested was required to

solve the problems of today. We use our experiences and insight as young idealistic Pakeha New Zealanders to

unravel the challenges and opportunities that our own worldview has constructed to reaching this level of thinking.

We use a simple model which helps us to progress from the reductionist default mode of our worldview, through

the chaotic complexity of the world and into a deeper place of knowing and presence. Moving through this process

helps us to shift from the problem oriented thinking to a way of being in which problems dissolve into challenges

and opportunities. The resultant shift from integrating the idealism of our hearts with the rationality of our heads

shifts our perception of the world from tunnel vision to 360 degree vision.


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SESSION ILiving Standards

Room 210 9:30 10:30

Sukkumnoed, Decharut and Chuenchit, Wipawa

A tale of two Samut cities: different paths to development and peoples well-being in Samut Sakorn and Samut

Songkram provinces

The aim of this paper is to analyze how different development paths lead to different development outcomes,

by comparing the development paths and outcomes of two Samut provinces; namely Samut Sakorn and Samut

Songkram. Previously, Samut Sakorn and Samut Songkram share the same eco-system and cultural backgrounds,

however, 30 years ago, they took different economic development paths, resulting in totally different economic

and social structure today. Unlike modernization theory, the richer economy does not gain better quality of life

in this case. While Samut Sakorn has much higher economic growth, Samut Songkram shows more balanced

development approach and, consequently much better well-being outcomes. Moreover, in present day, Samut

Songkram becomes one of the most well-known provinces for Thai exotic products and life-styles. This may lead

Thai society to reconsider their development paths, especially during the quest of sufciency economy.

Bandyopadhyay, Saugata

Micronance in improvement of living standard and Gross National Happiness

In this paper, which is written for presentation in the Third International Seminar on GNH in Nongkhai/Bangkok,

Thailand, the main aim is to extend the philosophy of capability development at the micro level for achieving

individual happiness as a part of a community and to develop Gross National Happiness. One of the main trigger

for Gross National Happiness is Living Standard and this paper will examine briey the role of micronance in

India, Bhutan, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The paper will establish the strong linkage between micro nance andcapability building through up-lifting of living standard for arriving at GNH.

Hassarungsee, Ranee

No human security for the people in the southern border provinces: eldwork facts

The policies of Thaksin Shinawatra administration signicantly contributed to the recurrence and heating up of

the violence in Thailands three southern border provinces, whose cultural, religious and racial context has been

very sensitive. Such policies included that on the suppression of narcotics trafcking, which was used as a tool to

eliminate his political rivals and competitive local inuential groups; summary killing; and even the apparently

pro-US foreign policy that earned Thailand a non-NATO alliance status. Although the Thaksin government was

ousted by the 19-September 2006 coup, the authoritarian mentality, particularly among the military and police,

remains. The use of violence by the government and the militants made ordinary people suffer, injuring and killing

them. The civil society sector has to join hands in creating political space for the people to protect the lives and

bring about justice to their society.

This report describes the spread of authoritarianism, which destroys international rules and regulation and

domestic social security. Violent response to conict has led to the closure of the peoples political space that could

alleviate the dispute. A case in point is the violence taking place in Thailands three southern border provinces.

None of the life security is left for the people there to enjoy. The ongoing violence taking place is of a structural

one, which requires collaborative activity of the civil society and people sectors to bring about human security in

the three southern border provinces and Thai society.

SESSION IResearch and Indicators I

Room 105 9:30 10:30

Timsit, Jean and Sweeton, Jennifer

An introduction to Poject +: a multidisciplinary research project on happiness and how it can impact the world

We want more, but more of what? What is more, what is less? Can more (stuff) lead to less (happiness)? What

is the goal? Is it wealth? Is it happiness? What else? Where are we heading? Where is our sense of direction and

purpose? By helping individuals nd personal well being, would it also be possible to help solve the worlds worse

problems at the social and economic level? What would happen if instead of always craving more, we could nd

support for the idea that sharing and altruism are a most effective way to happiness? If scientic ndings supported

this idea, would this create a paradigm shift and lead us to solving sources of suffering such as unsustainability,

misery, and violence? The key contribution of Project + lie in its methodology: to have scientists from diverse

disciplines collaborate and revisit these traditional questions in the light of contemporary science and events. With

multidisciplinary research it is hoped that we can produce a breakthrough in our understanding of these issues.

Shekhawat, Prahlad Singh

Rethinking Development and Well-Being and a Search for New Indicators

Mere economic growth is not development. Development normally dened is not well-being. Well-being should

include quality of life, subjective well-being and happiness. Alternative approaches, criteria and indicators are

being suggested as measures of all round development, well-being and progress.

Indicators of development like gross national product and other purely economic criteria are increasingly seen

as insufcient. The need for higher GNP leads to productive systems and consumption patterns that are not in

harmony with the carrying capacity of the environment and our planet. GNP does not measure the fair and equaldistribution, unpaid labour, social sector indicators like employment, health and education. By emphasizing only

economic value the prevailing paradigm transforms skills into lacks, man and women into commodities and

labour, tradition into burden, wisdom into ignorance and autonomy into dependence.

Zilberg, Johnathan

Moving from GDP towards GNH: Beyond The World Banks Quality of Growth Model for Achieving Sustainable

Development

The paper proposes a somewhat sanguine approach to the potential for the acceptance of the concept of GNH in

future policy making concerning sustainable development in the Indonesian context. It begins with the obvious,

that GDP has been and will remain the yard stick for development and that it is extremely unlikely that technocrats

will take such a qualitative and idealistic indicator of the health of society seriously though they may be more

inclined to consider the more recent notion of individual well being rather than happiness.

Above all, this paper has a singular purpose. The purpose is to provide those working to achieve the aims of theGNH movement in this region some basic conceptual tools and background which might help them to be more

effective in engaging the development world. In this, in light of the upcoming UNFCCC conference in Bali in

December and the intense interest in the environment in media and society at large at the moment, it calls for

taking personal responsibility as expressed in action rather than leaving the attempted resolution of the basic crisis

up to interminable international negotiation. It concludes that what is needed in taking up.


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SESSION IIEducation

Room 111 11:00 12:00

Suwanbubbha, Parichart

Happy and Peaceful Life through Dialogue at the Youth Detention Center

This paper is the effort to conrm the possibility of human development and transformation, a case of ending

violence against children especially in the boy detention center, Songkhla District 9, Thailand through the process

of dialogue. The dialogue in this paper has been conducted by Mahidol University Research Center for Peace

Building. One may realize that by doing dialogue, we can restore the better relationship between children and staff

and among children. It may be regarded a s outer work to restore peace and happiness. At the same time, the inner

work is always our intention to add the religious value to make children be familiar with in order that they may

have a peaceful life and inner harmony in spite of living in the limited freedom at their Youth Detention Center.

Anderson, Marti

Subtle Energies in the Classroom: Our Growing Understanding of the role of Energy in Education

If teachers and other educators were to understand the workings of classrooms and schools based upon transfer

of subtle energies and collective participation in what has been called the sacred mind, how would this

transform educational practices? In what kind of preparations might teachers involved themselves to be ready

for whole-hearted involvement in this exchange of energies? Concepts from quantum physics and an exploration

of love as energy give us something to build upon as we try to unravel the role of subtle energies in educational

environments.

Okuma-Nystrm, Michiyo Kiwako

Education, Social Sustainability, and Gross National Happiness: towards a Paradigm Shift

Socialization is the lifelong process through which a person becomes a respected member of the society where

he or she lives. Thus, socialization is a crucial process for sustainability of the society. School education occupies

some space in the process of socialization, but there are phenomena that school education disturbs socialization

of children and youths, and eventually social sustainability. This paper problematizes some aspects of school

education, and suggests to develop new indicators of school education, so that school education can contribute to

healthy socialization, social sustainability, and Gross National Happiness.

SESSION IIEcological Diversity and Resilience

Room 210 11:00 12:00

Flanagan, Judith and Kearns, Joshua

Self-reliance in water treatment: Providing safe drinking water to communities using charcoal ltration to

remove pesticides

Pesticide contamination of drinking water is a signicant problem in developing countries where due to inadequate

regulations over 70% of agrichemicals used intensively are banned or heavily restricted in the West. Pun Pun

organic farming community in northern Thailand is committed to practicing a variety of sustainable and self-

reliant living techniques. A reservoir nearby is contaminated by agricultural (including pesticide) runoff from

surrounding farms. We are developing a simple, robust and inexpensive technology to purify water thus providing

the Pun Pun community with a stable, year-round source of safe drinking water using locally sourced labor and

materials.

Kaufman, Alex

Creating Vibrant Communities through Ecologically Sound Food Production

The unbridled pursuit of economic growth through industrialization forces rural dwellers to overexploit natural

resources as a means of paying for the basic requisites, once freely available in the community. The cost of this

overexploitation of the land is the degraded capacity to provide essential natural services, namely healthy food

and clean water to both rural and urban communities. In effect, rural areas serve as a supermarket which provides

nourishment for the inhabitants of the city and fuels industry. Furthermore, boosting food production through

commercially intensive agriculture, aquaculture and livestock rea ring creates a loss of community identity, culture

and traditional livelihoods. The mending of this rural-urban divide requires holistic methodologies based in eco-agriculture, protecting biodiversity and the development of integrated bioregions. This paper critically examines

the impacts of modern food production on ecosystem services and quality of life in rural and urban areas.

Trkulja, Sinisa

Happiness as indicator and planning objective for the Spatial Development policy

The spatial planning process consists basically of two phases analysis and synthesis. In the analysis phase

various indicators are used to estimate the state of development in a country or in a region. The synthesis phase

corresponds to spatial development policy which is shaped following certain planning objectives. The use of

happiness as an indicator and as a planning objective is an original approach. From the European perspective this

approach is innovative and interesting for the comparative analysis of spatial development policies, having in

mind that in the contemporary world cooperation and relations among different countries, cultures and practices

are increasing.


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SESSION IIResearch and Indicators II

Room 105 11:00 12:00

Michael Pennock and Dasho Karma Ura

The Gross National Happiness abridged survey

Based upon the results from a pretest of a large Gross National Happiness questionnaire that was developed by

the Centre of Bhutan Studies for use in Bhutan, a shorter generic version of the survey was developed for use in

other countries and jurisdictions. As far as possible, the survey utilizes items from scales that are widely utilized

to provide comparability. It attempts to measure the multidimensional nature of happiness, as r eected in the GNH

framework, as well as the principle determinants of happiness. The Centre for Bhutan Studies is now interested in

working with researchers from other jurisdictions to pretest and develop this version of the GNH survey.

Pankaj, Prabhat K.

Conglomerative Radar of Happiness in Bhutan

This paper investigates empirically some of the critical aspects of we ll-being, primarily constituting the standard

of living in Bhutan, using conglomerative radar perspective and econometric technique. The analysis is based on

district level data for Bhutan, pertaining to the year 2005, taken from recently concluded living of standard survey

in the country. The study concludes that at a disaggregate level, conglomerate of well-being enhancing indicators

are important as they tend to contribute to the happiness of individual as well as society. Beyond this level, it is

the lifetime satisfaction which is important for happiness. The study suggests focusing on domain satisfaction

indicators for poor performing districts in Bhutan.

Nitnitiphrut, Kanokporn

The Concept of Happiness: The Bridge between Western and Eastern Thought, and Empirical Evidence ofBangkokians Happiness Determinants

Happiness is born from not only self but also environmental elements which inuence humans happy

feeling. Following the concept of Buddhist Economics, there are three dimensions of happiness: Man, Mind

and Environment. The Man dimension is observed Happiness model with a self-reported evaluation. The Mind

dimension is explained by descriptive analysis of the relationship between proxies of the Noble Eightfold Path

using Thai proverbs and happiness factors such as age, gender, marital status, educational level. The Environmental

dimension consists of two parts: social environment and natural environment.

Nowakowski, Linda

Increasing the Reliability of Wellness Metrics in Unique Groups

When we look at social life and hence social development, we use three distinct lenses: economic, political and

cultural. The initiation of the term Gross National Happiness came as a result of a disagreement on whether GDP

was an accurate or satisfactory measure of development. This paper offers a challenge to the GNH community to

collaborate and develop the tools necessary to assist communities in meaningful assessment of their own progress

on the development road: tools that can help them ne tune their own programs rather than provide fodder to

those who would measure development exclusively with a western economic measurement and little concern with

increased well being of individuals or communities.

SESSION III Community vitality

Room 111 13:00 14:00

Evans, A. Steven

Orality, Story and Cultural Transformation: the Critical Role of Storytelling in affecting Worldview and Values

Cultures are dynamic and are always in ux. What happens, however, when cultural changes are not good when

there is evidence of an eroding values system? Can a particular cultures worldview intentionally and substantially

change? It is unarguable that ones worldview, culture and values are entrenched and to inuence the alteration of

these is difcult. However, the idea that affecting ones worldview, culture and values to the point of change is not

impossible. What this article proposes is that worldviews, cultures, and values can indeed be changed, resultingin not only the transformation of an individuals life, but an entire culture as well. Storytelling in particular is a

catalyst that can bring about substantial changes in worldview, culture and values.

Tossa, Wajuppa

Storytelling, a means to revitalise a disappearing language and culture in Northeast Thailand (Isan)

Throughout much of northeast Thailand (lsan), Lao is the dominant local language. In areas near the Cambodian

border Khmer is dominant. Suay is spoken in certain areas. There are pockets of Phutai speakers in the region. And

various other dialects are dominant in places (Khorat) for instance. In the entire area of Isan, at least fty dialects

still exist. [1] Today, however, central and ofcial Thai is rapidly becoming the dominant language throughout

Isan. Villagers are embarrassed to speak their own language in front of more urbanized Thai. Children are taught

not to speak in their own local dialects and are sometimes even punished for doing so in the schools. If this attitude

exists among people of all levels, we are in danger of losing our diversity in languages and cultures. Thailand may

become mono-cultured (language included) and whenever this culture is threatened, we may not have any culturethat is considered our own at all. Our one language, central Thai, could easily be threatened as we adopt more

technological advancement. This paper discusses a three-year research project, using storytelling to revitalize

the local dialects and folktales. The successes, failures, and suggestions for future cultural challenges will be

discussed.

Dorji, Kinley

Pretty Woman

This is not a happy story. As Bhutan goes through a dramatic period of history the writer looks at the excitement

and, more important, the pains of change. The setting is a typical Bhutanese village. The terraced backdrop,

scenic environment, with the cozy farmhouses, the daily and seasonal routines, the livestock, and the forested

surroundings are common across the rural country. Today, some villages have progressed beyond the stage

described in the story, some are yet to reach it, but most Bhutanese will identify with this village. The thrust of the

story is the dramatic changes that take place in a very short period. The two main characters, Kuenley and Thrimi,

are swept up in a transformation that they do not comprehend. Are the side effects of development taking a toll that

is more powerful than the effects of mainstream development? This is symbolized by the immediate excitement

over television that far exceeds the advantages of electricity as a source of power for utilities. GNH emphasizes

the mandate of the state to create an environment where individual citizens can nd happiness. This requires that

the government introduce appropriate media and other regulations, not necessarily to control, but to prevent a

complete destruction of the value systems of Bhutanese society. GNH also requires a close check on the pace of

change itself. GNH must provide a response to globalization.


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SESSION IIIHealth and Psychological Wellbeing

Room 210 13:00 14:00

Mongkol, Apichai; Tangseree, Tavee; Udomratn,Pichet; Huttapanom, Watchanee; Chutha, Worawan

The Development of Thai Mental Health Indicator (TMHI): From past to present

Thailand was realized the importance and need of developing Thai mental health indicator to investigate the

mental health of Thai people. In 2000, Thai mental health indicator in individual level was developed to study

the country-wide mental health of Thai people and to examine the change of mental health or well-being of Thai

people. The objective of this paper is to present the processes of developing Thai mental hea lth indicator from

2000 to nowadays. The mental health indicator is a worthy and useful instrument, especially to investigate thecountry-wide happiness of Thai people in 2000 and 2005.

Selvaraj M. and Ramachandran, Lalitha

GNH, Health and Economic Status of Bhutan

Happiness is dened as the degree to which the people in a country enjoy the life, as they like to live without

harming someone in the society. Happiness is the ultimate objective of human being at the individual level, but

GNH is the national goal in Bhutan. There are numerous factors that bring happiness in humans life, which differ

from person to person. For instance, in some individuals point of view they may feel that money brings happiness

and some other individuals point of view it may not. Culture, celebration, festivals, economic status, education,

environment, health and people desire are playing an important role in humans happiness at different stages. A

high level coordination is needed between government and people at all level to synchronize the basic goals of

GNH as a national policy. If a country can be described by high sophistication of life style, high-tech at all level,

development in the industrial sector, good enough resource accessibility, and material well-being across the state,will pursue the problems of unstable politics, not harmonized peaceful environment and society, weak health

status and moreover threats from the terrorism either at the domestic level or from the outside. As a result of these

problems, ultimately the economic status of the country would shake. However, on the contrary the kingdom of

Bhutan is described as being very limited in all the above mentioned elements, consequently Bhutan has gained

the reputation of being a peaceful country around the world and where there is no much treats from the terrorism,

economic disparity, sophisticated life style and material well being are virtually absent. In this case Bhutan is more

fortunate than other neighboring countries in the South Asian region. So far in the history, Bhutan has never been

colonized nor was in direct collision of two world wars.

Wong Piromsarn, Yougyud; Chakrabnand, Somchai and Chutha, Worawan

Psychological Happiness Assessment with Mental Quality and Capacity Instrument (MQCI)

Thai Gross Nation Happiness (GNH) with ve components has developed and become the measure of country

development. In the component of individual and family happiness, indicator for mental health or psychological

happiness is very crucial especially the measure on positive aspect of mental health as mental quality and mentalcapacity. As the Department of Mental Health (DMH) developed the Thai mental Health Indicator (TMHI) 5

year ago, this instrument can be reviewed and retooled to t in the new concept of Thai GNH.

SESSION III Good Governance

Room 105 13:00 14:00

Dorji, Bachu Phub and Schreven, Anne-Marie

Gross National Happiness and Good Government: Civil Service Reform towards achieving GNH

The Royal Government of Bhutan (RGoB) has initiated a major Civil Service Reform prior to the establishment of

a new constitutional democratic government. It is the governments mandate to achieve Bhutans national vision

of Gross National Happiness (GNH); that is to ensure the well being and happiness of the people at individual,

community, organisational, sectoral and national level. The Civil Service Reform process aims at maintaining asmall, compact and efcient Government to lay a strong foundation for a successful constitutional democracy and

to facilitate the development of a strong economy. The focus is on the quality of service delivery that is to assure

optimum utilization of limited resources to provide the highest quality of services to the public. Government

agencies were asked to indicate their specic contribution to Gross National Happiness and how they could

strengthen their capacities to improve the services they deliver to the public, thus enhancing satisfaction and well

being or happiness of the people.

This paper describes how Organisational Development (OD) approach can operationalise Gross National

Happiness at organisational level as introduced in the Royal Government of Bhutan.

Shahbaz, Muhammad and Aamir, Naveed

Macroeconomic Determinants of Poors Happiness: A Case Study of Pakistan

There is not much research on welfare-economics from human wellbeing (happiness) side, the main reason is that

this is qualitative and subjective phenomenon & not to easy capture for measurement. In the present endvour, wetried to capture it (happiness) from opposite side of poverty index. We employed modied ARDL technique for

long run friendship between Poors happiness and some macroeconomic inuencing factors; short run dynamic

behavior is scrutinized through ECM.The ndings about Poors happiness and its determinants show that happiness

of poor individuals is highly inuenced from macroeconomics shocks prevailed in the economy. Economic growth

or rise in GDP per capita declines the level of Poors happiness due to upper-echelon phenomenon in long span of

time in Pakistan. Ination inuences the purchasing power of poor segments of population and denitely affects

the happiness negatively in both the periods. Enhancement in remittances seems to push happiness or Poors

welfare levels upward signicantly. Increase in indirect taxes especially sales taxes associated with low levels of

happiness of poor individuals in a small developing economy like Pakistan. Trade-openness improves happiness

rankings of poor segments of population through its direct & indirect channels. Finally, a low level of happiness is

associated with low urbanization in short span of time.

Salvaris, Mike

Happiness and Civic Engagement

Human advance is conditioned by our conception of progress. Over a decade ago, the UN Development Program

called for an end to what it described as the mismeasurement of progress by economic growth alone. It recognised

that a new and more legitimate paradigm must be people centred, equitably distributed and environmentally and

socially sustainable.The term more legitimate is crucial. The way we dene and measure social progress is an

issue of fundamental importance for democracy and for human rights and good governance.


9/12

SESSION IV Cultural Diversity and Resilience

Room 111 14:00 15:00

Khudori, Darwis

Spirituality-based social movements facing globalisation in asia and Europe: state of knowledge and prospect

All the forces of moral/ethical/spiritual authorities denounce the harmfulness of globalisation. However, to

what extent do they do so? Are there spirituality-based social movements in Asia and Europe dealing directly

with the impact of globalisation? Are there concepts, projects and programmes proposed by spirituality-based

social movements in Asia and Europe that are related to the challenges imposed by globalisation? Where is the

place and what is the role of spirituality-based social movements amongst the existing social movements thatare dealing with globalisation in Asia and Europe? This paper presents some selected ndings of a workshop

dedicated to spirituality-based social movements facing globalisation in Asia and Europe, which was held in

Nagoya, Japan, in April 2004 as well as some ideas for its follow-up.

Kiessel, Amanda

Beyond the linear logic of project aid - Alternative understanding of participation and community vitality

Since the mid-1980s, international development agencies have been responding to critiques of the development

industry by redirecting their assistance to (1) participatory community development initiatives and (2)

targeted project-based aid. These two strategies are rooted in different worldviews and based on contradictory

understandings of the nature of social transformation. This paper explores how recent research on complex

adaptive systems, ancient Eastern philosophies, and the experiences of participatory development practitioners

challenge the linear logic of conventional development interventions. It concludes with the implications of a non-

linear world view for participation, community development, and alternative development frameworks like GrossNational Happiness.

Daskon, Chandima

Gross National Happiness, a New Paradigm? Culture: a new attribute to studying rural livelihoods

Today, peoples values, customs, beliefs and traditional knowledge systems that collectively named as culture

is increasingly recognized as signicant, and highly prioritized as vital sources, particularly for grassroots

development. The Sustainable Livelihood Approach (SLA) was emerged in the 1990s as an alternative path to

address grassroots problems, giving more opportunities to centralize people, their values and capabilities, but, it

has also been criticised widely due to the lack of cultural and historical consideration, market and gender relation

and asset measurements.

This paper is built upon one of those critics. The paper inquires the role of traditional culture in building sustainable

livelihoods in rural context.

Thontiravong MD, Banpot

Conict Settlement in Sutta Pitaka. A Buddhists Access to Peace and Happiness

Sutta Pitaka or in short Sutta is a compilation of the Buddhas sermons delivered to people of different

classes and castes occasionally. Each sutta contains introduction and substances of the Buddhas sermons and

thus becomes major sources for searching and learning his teaching principles. Doing with mercy; speaking

with mercy; thinking with mercy; sharing things; behaving compatibly, thinking compatibly: how the Buddha

examined the cause or origin of conict and quarrel, as well as methods of settlement, with respect to his concern

with particular problems and his advices given to others for problem solving, and what teaching principles and

concepts are relevant?

SESSION IV Time Use and Balance

Room 210 14:00 15:00

Galay, Karma

Patterns of time use and happiness in Bhutan: is there a relationship between the two?

Bhutan has made rapid development in a short period of time. All these achievements have come with very

minimal impact on its culture and environment. The Royal Government implemented these policies through strict

adherence to the four pillars of GNH: equitable and sustainable socio-economic development, preservation and

promotion of its culture, conservation of environment, and promotion of good governance. While these pillars

have guided policy so far, it is not very clear how the ideas or values of GNH have been and will continue to betransformed into practical plans and policies. Recently, Bhutanese policy makers have realized this shortcoming

and have taken initiatives to develop specic indicators to measure GNH. A set of nine indicators have been

chosen. This study intends to address three objectives: i) to nd out the amount of time respondents allocated to

various activities and, by doing so, to identify the amount of household work, care work and other unpaid work

normally not included in conventional economic accounts, ii) to nd out how patterns of time use differ by gender,

age, and other social and demographic characteristics of respondents, and iii) to assess how patterns of time use

relate to reported levels of happiness.

Brown, Peter; Cerin, Ester and Warner-Smith, Penny

Happiness under pressure: how dual-earner parents experience time in Australia

Against a background of profound social, economic and organizational change in Australia, workers ability

to satisfactorily integrate paid work with personal life is essential for social and economic well-being. How

individuals both use and experience time is central to understanding the dynamics of work/life balance inhouseholds. If working parents are as stressed as national time use surveys suggest, then how is time experienced

by these individuals and couples? This question is addressed through a review of selected ndings from the

Work/Life Tensions project. Using the Experience Sampling Method, we report on data gathered via personal

data assistants (PDAs) from 173 working parents (6778 time use surveys) with a view to providing in-situ

interpretive information on womens and mens activity patterns and their subjective experience of time over a

7-day period. Data from a screening survey completed by the same sample of working parents are also used to

compare sample characteristics and levels of time crunch between two age cohorts which indicate signicantly

lower levels of time pressure among those aged 52-57 when compared with those aged 25-30. By understanding

better the experience of time in time crunched households we aim to demonstrate the impact of social and temporal

contexts on the meaning people attach to their experiences of time both positive and negative - in paid work and

other life domains.


10/12

SESSION IV Communication and Technology

Room 105 14:00 15:00

Hongladarom, Soraj

Web 2.0: Toward Happiness and Empowerment through Interactive Technology A Buddhists Access to Peace

and Happiness

The major question that will concern policy makers in the country for a foreseeable future is: How could Thailand

foster the design principles for web 2.0 technologies that actually promote happiness and human development?

Another question is: How could technology be designed in such a way as the people or the users are actually

empowered to master the technology and not become enslaved to it instead? If anything happiness is more related

to empowering and being empowered than otherwise. This question is important because design is indeed crucialif any policy attempt to broaden the peoples participation in the internet world is to bear fruit. I think a rst priority

for the design should be that the users should be kept in mind from the beginning. Another thing that deserves

no less serious attention is the potential clash between local values and the global web 2.0 websites. We have to

be well aware of the possibility that local values might trump over global ones, resulting in parochialism and the

syndrome that occurs when one country is always arguing against interference by outsiders. On the other hand,

we also need to be careful that the so-called global system does not fully dominate everything.

Pek-Dorji, Siok Sian

Opening the gates in Bhutan media gatekeepers and the agenda of change

Communication studies refer to the journalistic gatekeepers as professional, trained editors and reporters with

professional news values, setting the agenda for discussion in society, thus putting topics for discussion in the

public sphere. The denition of gatekeeper is extended to the family and community that have traditionally been

important in the teaching and sharing of values in the home and community. This paper explores the manner inwhich the new media in Bhutan are changing the traditional role of the gatekeeper in transmitting values, and

setting the agenda for the discussion of news and information. It will look at the implications on this tradition in

the context of the changing media environment in Bhutan. It examines the new group of gatekeepers who are

determining the information we hear, read and see, and inuencing the emerging social value systems. The paper

presents a brief review of current global trends and studies on the role of new media and examines the implications

for Bhutan. Strategies to build a healthy media environment are suggested for Bhutan as society builds a media

culture that will give its citizens the kind of information, education and entertainment it needs to achieve a GNH

society.

Bauwens, Michel

Peer to Peer and Human Happiness

The emergence of distributed networks, dened by capacity of agents to freely determine their actions and

relations, and of the internet and the social web in particular, have created a new set of technological affordances

creating a broad range of open knowledge and open design communities functioning according to a peer topeer social logic. These communities have set in motion a new set of social processes for the creation of value,

which we could summarize as peer production (the ability to produce in common), peer governance (the capacity

to selforganize) and peer property (the capacity to make common production universally available). The social

web has created the possibility to create complex social services, and productive systems, through the global

coordination and scaling of small group processes of mass participation, moving them from the periphery of social

life to its very center. The aim of this paper is to describe the characteristics of this new social process, and to see

how they are specically related to the issue of human happiness.

Paper submitters and presenters - contact addresses

Anderson, Marti - Subtle energies in the classroom: our growing understanding of the role of

energy in education

[email protected]

Bandyopadhyay, Saugata -Micronance in improvement of living standard and Gross National

Happiness

[email protected]

Bauwens, Michel -Peer to Peer and Human Happiness

[email protected]

Brown, Peter; Cerin, Ester and Warner-Smith, Penny -Happiness under pressure: how dual-

earner parents experience time in Australia

[email protected], [email protected],[email protected]

Daskon, Chandima - Gross National Happiness, a New Paradigm? Culture: a new attribute to

studying rural livelihoods

[email protected]

Dorji, Bachu Phub and Schreven, Anne-Marie

Gross National Happiness and good governance: civil service reform towards achieving Gross

national happiness

[email protected], [email protected]

Dorji, Gem -Happiness and Spirituality

[email protected]

Dorji, Kinley -Pretty Woman

[email protected]

Evans, A. Steven - Orality, Story and Cultural Transformation:the Critical Role of Storytelling

in affecting Worldview and Values


Flanagan, Judith and Kearns, Joshua - Self-reliance in water treatment: Providing safe drinking

water to communities using charcoal ltration to remove pesticides


Galay, Karma -Patterns of time use and happiness in Bhutan

[email protected]


11/12

Hassarungsee, Ranee -No human security for the people in the southern border provinces:

eldwork facts

[email protected]

Hongladarom, Soraj - Web 2.0: Toward Happiness and Empowerment through Interactive

Technology. A Buddhists Access to Peace and Happiness

[email protected]

Indaratna, Kaemthong - Sufciency Economy: a Happiness Development approach

[email protected]

Kaufman, Alex - Creating Vibrant Communities through Ecologically Sound Food Production

[email protected]

Khudori, Darwis -Spirituality-based social movements facing globalisation in Asia and

Europe: state of knowledge and prospect

[email protected]

Kiessel, Amanda -Beyond the linear logic of project aid - Alternative understanding of

participation and community vitality

[email protected]

Mongkol, Apichai; Tangseree, Tavee; Udomratn,Pichet; Huttapanom, Watchanee; Chutha,

Worawan - The Development of Thai Mental Health Indicator (TMHI): from past to present

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Nitnitiphrut, Kanokporn - The Concept of Happiness: The Bridge between Western and Eastern

Thought, and Empirical Evidence of Bangkokians Happiness Determinants

[email protected]

Nowakowski, Linda -Increasing the Reliability of Wellness Metrics in Unique Groups

[email protected]

Okuma-Nystrm, Michiyo Kiwako -Education, Social Sustainability, and Gross National

Happiness: towards a Paradigm [email protected], [email protected]

Packard, Aaron and Hickling, Seth - Cultivating the future: integrating idealism and rationality


Pankaj, Prabhat K. - Conglomerative Radar of Happiness in Bhutan

[email protected]

Pek-Dorji, Siok Sian -Media in Bhutan

[email protected]

Pennock, Michael - The Gross National Happiness Abridged Survey

[email protected]

Salvaris, Mike -Democracy and the measurement of progress

[email protected]

Selvaraj M. and Ramachandran, Lalitha - GNH, Health and Economic Status of [email protected]

Shahbaz, Muhammad and Aamir, Naveed -Macroeconomic Determinants of Poors Happiness:

A Case Study of Pakistan

[email protected]

Shekhawat, Prahlad Singh -Rethinking Development and Well-Being and a Search for New

Indicators

[email protected]

Sukkumnoed, Decharut and Chuenchit, Wipawa -A tale of two Samut cities: different paths to

development and peoples well-being in Samut Sakorn and Samut Songkram provinces


Suwanbubbha, Parichart -Happy and Peaceful Life through Dialogue at the Youth Detention

Center

[email protected]

Thontiravong MD, Banpot - Conict Settlement in Sutta Pitaka. A Buddhists Access to Peace

and Happiness

[email protected]

Timsit, Jean and Sweeton, Jennifer -An introduction to Project +:a multidisciplinary research

project on happiness and how it can impact the world

[email protected],[email protected]

Tossa, Wajuppa - Storytelling, a means to revitalise a disappearing language and culture in

Northeast Thailand (Isan)

[email protected]

Trkulja, Sinisa -Happiness as indicator and planning objective for the Spatial Development

policy

[email protected]


12/12

Wong Piromsarn, Yougyud; Chakrabnand, Somchai and Chutha, Worawan -Psychological

Happiness Assessment with Mental Quality and Capacity Instrument (MQCI)

[email protected], [email protected], [email protected]

Zilberg, Johnathan - Sustainable Development and Civil Society in Indonesia: Moving from

GDP to GNH

[email protected]

VENUE

Chulalongkorn University is the oldest university in Thailand and has long been considered one

of the countrys most prestigious universities. It now has eighteen faculties and a number of

schools and institutes. Regarded as the best and most selective university of Thailand, it normally

attracts top students around the country. It is named after King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), and was

established by his son and successor King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) in 1917 by combining the Royal

Pages School and the College of Medicine. The academic Session will take place at the Facultyof Arts, Mahachulalongkorn building.

Academic Session Coordinators

Dr. Narumon Arunothai - Dr. Michita Champathes Rodsutti

Academic Secretariat

Ms. Peeyaluck Jamlek, Ms. Savarin Sitisara, Ms. Vilasinee Sukka, Mr. Petr Svoboda,

Mr. Parkpume Vanichaka, Mr. Eric Vermeers, Mr. Francesco Volpini,

Layout

Francesco Volpini, Eric Vermeers

Book Cover

Samklur Huakaeng

CD Cover

Samklur Huakaeng, Eric Vermeers

Documents

Felicidad Nacional