06/09/2025
The Heartwarming Tale of Trust and a Tough Fight: Our Journey to Fairness
Hey friends! Pull up a chair for a cozy story from our small shop in a lively border town, where trade with a nearby land flows like a gentle river. It all kicked off back in 2019, a time buzzing with hope, when a customer from across the border walked in, excited about fitness gear like treadmills and weights. We started with simple cash trades, but when they asked for a 60-day credit plan, our trusting hearts led us into a long, winding journey—reminding us that “every cloud has a silver lining.”
The Sunny Days of Friendship
For a good while, our partnership felt like a field of blooming flowers. We sent them all kinds of equipment, and their business grew happily on the other side. But by 2021, a shadow crept in—money they owed us piled up, even with their big promises to pay. We sent kind reminders, but they shared stories of slow days or personal troubles. By early 2025, the debt lingered, and hope dimmed as they turned to cash deals with others, teaching us that “actions speak louder than words.”
The Stormy Days of Trouble
Things turned tricky in mid-2024. We sent a polite note asking for our dues, but they hit back with threats and said we were being too pushy. Worse, we found out they were using our name to buy stuff without telling us—a real sting! They grumbled about broken gear but wouldn’t send the proof we needed, like pictures or bills, leaving us lost. Then came a wild twist—a helper they shouldn’t have used, Tashi Phuntsho, snatched some cash and vanished! Amid the mess, they joked, “Don’t trust folks like me from my land,” pointing at themselves with a grin, and even said Dashos might “eat up everything”! It got funny when we saw their shop full of new goods while we waited, proving that “the leopard cannot change its spots.” Even earlier, back on March 28, they tried a sneaky deal with Tashi Phuntsho for a much smaller amount than they owed, thinking they could slip away—looks like “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” didn’t work out! But the Bar Council of Bhutan stepped in with a sharp eye, honoring our complaint with a proper enquiry, and took firm action against Tashi Phuntsho for his shady moves. We’re grateful to Vice President Rinzin Ranjor for this bold stand—a “ray of hope in a stormy sky”!
Trouble brewed further when a trade check came in June 2025 after our complaint. The lady in charge and her husband faced an officer from the south, and instead of arguing with him, she turned to our guide, grumbling about his demand for old money papers, like sales and purchase bills. She huffed, “He’s from the south like us, so why treat us like criminals? We haven’t done anything wrong! If they can ask for this, why the harsh look? We’re not running away!” She seemed rattled, maybe worried about what those papers might reveal, especially about her husband’s business. Our guide stood firm, saying the office had every right to dig deeper, and the check went on. It made us wonder—why so personal if she’s just a manager? And why is her brother, who ran things from 2022 to April 2025, now in Australia while she’s pulling the strings? Could she be the real boss hiding behind others, with guilt peeking through her words?
Things got spicier when they started throwing mud our way. They called us harassers in a July email and bad-mouthed our gear as cheap in late April, with wild claims from March that didn’t hold water. They even spread nasty rumors about our guide, a respected figure honored for his service, saying a trade officer warned them not to trust “these Dashos” because they’re greedy and might keep the money! In a July chat, they claimed he was pocketing cash and wouldn’t pay us, though they’d thanked him earlier for handling a big sum. They flipped their story, saying the officer told them to pay us directly, not him, which clashed with their earlier “criminal” complaint—did they make it up to confuse us and ditch our guide? Their July threats to sue us for chasing payment, acting like they can twist the law to their whim like it’s a household matter, just show their cheek—pushing us to fight back with unyielding resolve! This left us, a trusting partner, hurt by their mean tricks.
The trouble didn’t stop there. They kept dodging us big time—ignoring our papers, racking up fines from late April emails, and blocking us on WhatsApp from April 4 to 8, 2025. They skipped meetings in March and even threatened my brother in September 2024 via chat! In a July message, they said they’d pay us directly but then accused our guide of taking money for himself, asking us to drop him—yet he says he hasn’t even visited since we told him to stop, showing their delay game. Their July email bragged about past payments and stuck to the April deal, ignoring the June update we all signed, even after promising to pay on April 27 but skipping it. They asked for gear details instead of paying, breaking promises from 2024, proving they’re stalling while we struggle—why keep running when “the early bird catches the worm”? And their latest replies? Oh, they sound like some fancy essay written by a robot, not the “M busy” or “Ok will see later” we know from their chats! Looks like they’ve got a machine doing their talking now—even parrots repeat words they don’t get! They admitted the April deal is real and owe us money, but then rejected our fair fight idea. Which smarty-pants taught them that trick, or is their AI now their lawyer too? As they say, “you can close your eyes to the sun, but the sun won’t stop shining”—truth keeps glowing!
Our Brave Fight for What’s Right
We didn’t give up hope. In early 2025, we called on some legal friends from across the border. They made a plan: pay a big amount by April, then the rest over a few months. But they paid that rogue helper instead, so we made a new deal by mid-April for a payment by month’s end, asking them to show their stock list. They slipped up, and we added some fines. By May, we were in a local court, asking for our money and fair treatment, with our guide leading the way.
A new agreement in June set a bigger goal, and they paid a chunk by then. But they missed the next payment, and in July, they asked for receipts, slowing things down, with only a small amount coming by mid-month. We reached out to the consulate in a big city for help—a “friend in need is a friend indeed.” By mid-July, we raised a new complaint, pointing out their tricks—trying to bribe our guide, moving money to another shop, and funny money moves that raised eyebrows. They kept dodging us—ignoring messages, blocking our calls in late 2024, and even threatening our family. They showed off new goods online, clashing with their “we’re struggling” tale, and kept changing who was in charge, like a game of hide-and-seek. Old chats revealed they lent money to family, and recordings hinted at fudged books, showing a plan to dodge us. Their bribe try on our guide and rude smears against his good name only made us stand taller—looks like “don’t count your chickens before they hatch” didn’t sink in for them!
By late July, a smart helper from a far-off city joined us, suggesting a peaceful chat under the April deal’s rules. We gave them a clear chance, setting a July 23 deadline to agree and pay, but they stayed quiet or gave mixed answers. On August 28, 2025, our new helper, with a strong heart, called for a fair fight through arbitration, and we’re filing it with the Supreme Court of India to ensure justice is served. A rule-keeper group by early August 2025 said Tashi Phuntsho’s actions were wrong, ordered a business check, and suggested we claim our lost cash back. We’re grateful to the Bar Council of Bhutan for their proper enquiry and bold action against Tashi—a “ray of hope in a stormy sky”! The court fight drags on, arbitration is our next step, and our savings are stretched thin.
Friends Step Up and the Big Call
Our call for help brought good friends. The consulate’s support kept us steady, and the rule-keeper’s decision against the rogue helper gave us strength. We noticed their trade permits kept swapping hands among family, but one person always called the shots, pretending to be just a helper. We suspect they moved money to another shop, and their pushback during a trade check, questioning the rules with a local twist, hid more secrets. By mid-July, we asked for a fair fight in Thimphu, wanting our guide to lead it and the authorities to check their tricks—bribes, fake stories, money moves, and permit switches. We also want to keep an eye on their travel papers to stop them from slipping away, and get help from local leaders to protect our small shop’s rights. We believe the Bhutanese authorities will honor this process, just as the Bar Council did, and finally, we’ll get the justice we deserve. We are continuing our legal remedies, both in Bhutan and India. The matter will now be decided in arbitration and court, with all the evidence of their contradictions, admissions, false accusations, and non-payment placed on record.
By late July, we sent a last reminder, asking them to explain a recent payment and pay the overdue amounts by July 30. They hit back, saying they paid a good chunk in good faith, demanded receipts, and called our efforts harassment, refusing our fair fight idea. We replied by early August, showing their mistakes—missed deadlines, wrong payments, and rude words—giving them until August 23 to work with us.
Their answer on August 23 was a fiery “no,” admitting they owe money under the April deal but rejecting our fair fight, labeling us greedy and threatening to stop payments. This stubborn stand, with no judge picked, pushed us to act. By late August 23, 2025, we sent a final note, saying their own words tie them to the April 12, 2025, deal’s fair fight clause. With their threats and insults growing, we’re now heading to a big court to get someone to judge this fairly. Their harsh words like “greed” and “blackmail” will show their bad attitude, and we’ll prove “he who laughs last laughs best” as we chase what’s ours across borders.
Lessons from the Hard Road
This long trip taught us big lessons:
Make Strong Promises: A clear deal could’ve saved us early trouble.
Keep Good Notes: Our records were our shield in fights.
Be Careful with Loans: Limiting credit might’ve eased our load.
Ask for Openness: Following rules kept us on track.
Get Smart Help: Legal friends got us deals, though it’s slow to win.
Find Good Allies: The consulate and rule-keepers were our rocks.
Stay Calm: Peace in tough times kept us strong.
A Light at the End
As the clock hits 11:15 AM on this cool Saturday, September 6, 2025, some payments have chipped away at the debt, but a big amount still hangs over us. With the rule-keeper’s support, the consulate’s help, and a laugh at our client’s funny jabs about Dashos and herself, we stand tall, ready for the next step in our fair fight. This story tells traders: find legal buddies, make solid pacts, and face tricks with a smile. To fellow business owners: learn from this experience. Trust is important, but so are systems, contracts, and timely enforcement. Clouds of promises mean nothing until they bring rain. 🌧️ If you have faced similar challenges, share your story below! And if you need any help with your own struggles, especially if you’ve faced friends turning into foes like those who were struggling with a 12,000-rupee job yesterday and, thanks to our support, saw their lifestyle improve today, only to threaten us now—while even my cat meows at me in protest—feel free to contact us at [email protected]. Together, we’ll build a brighter tomorrow—and ensure that honesty is rewarded!
Keeper of the shop, Jaigaon, West Bengal. Reach us at [email protected].
If you are a business owner, what’s your experience with delayed payments?
Comment below ⬇️ Let’s share and learn from each other’s stories. Together, we can build businesses where honesty is rewarded, not punished.
📩 For any guidance or if you’re struggling with similar issues, reach me [email protected].
Note- “This story is based on real business experiences, documented with official records. It is shared only for awareness and learning, not to target any individual or firm.”
💬 “Let me also clarify something important. We live in a border town, and our entire livelihood depends on the love and trust of Bhutanese customers. In my personal experience, 99% of Bhutanese people are genuinely trustworthy, respectful, and fair in business. This incident was an exception — just one case that turned bitter. But one person’s actions can never define an entire community. We remain grateful to our Bhutanese friends and customers, who have always stood by us.”
