When you think of toilets, the word “hero” may not be the first that comes to mind. Yet in Bhutan, one man has carried the banner of dignity and hygiene with unwavering passion — Passu, whose real name is Passang Tshering, fondly known as Chablop Passu. For years, he has championed the cause of clean and accessible toilets, sparking conversations that many shy away from but which everyone recognises as essential.
In 2016, His Majesty King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck bestowed upon him the name Chablop Passu. “Chablop” translates to the Toilet Teacher — a title that embodies both duty and purpose. This royal recognition honoured his tireless efforts to address one of Bhutan’s most overlooked yet vital issues: sanitation.
As the founder of the Bhutan Toilet Organisation (BTO), Passu has dedicated himself to ensuring safe and hygienic toilets across the country. His work has turned what was once a neglected subject into a national dialogue on dignity and public health. From remote schools to busy highways, he and his team have worked tirelessly to improve sanitation facilities, transforming toilets from symbols of discomfort into emblems of compassion and progress.
The Birth of Jinpa Toilet
For the past three years, Passu has been nurturing an idea close to his heart: the Jinpa Toilet. In Bhutanese culture, jinpa means giving selflessly — an act of compassion, much like offering food to the hungry or water to the thirsty. But as Passu rightly points out, there is another urgent human need that cannot wait — access to a toilet. We all know the desperate, almost unbearable feeling of searching for one when none can be found.
Imagine if public toilets were conveniently located across Bhutan. Sadly, despite progress, they are still few and far between. Building new facilities requires time, land, and money, and sometimes even discourages local businesses when placed along highways.
This is where the Jinpa Toilet initiative steps in. Until Bhutan achieves universal public toilet access, this movement asks private businesses to open their toilets to the public — as an act of jinpa.