Even as tattoos gain popularity among Bhutanese youth, none of the tattoo artists have a trade license to do body art commercially, say trade officials, which makes them illegal.Recently, trade inspectors found two tattoo parlours, one in the Motithang area and the other at the Sakten health club building in Thimphu, operating without a license.
The regional trade and industry office issued a notification asking tattoo artists to close shop.“We haven’t fined them nor closed the parlours down,” said the regional trade director, Dungtu.
“We learnt that they do tattoo business on the side, so we issued the notification.”Dungtu said that, if the parlours continue to operate without a license despite the notification, they would be fined according to trade rules and regulations, which starts with Nu 2,000.
The regional director, who took office six months ago, said that they have also not received any proposals to run a tattoo parlour and that licenses would be issued only if approved by the health ministry. “This is a new and a risky business from the health point of view and it’s also not on the list of what types of businesses can or cannot be done,” he said.
A tattooist for five years, Sonam Dorji, who does tattoos in his small working studio, said that tattooists like him are not happy with the regional trade office’s notification.
“They’re asking me to stop doing something which I love to do and it’s not okay,” said the 26 year old. “I’m not forcing people to come to me.” He added, “Both students and working people, some who are in their forties, come for tattoos.”
Sonam, who gets around four people a week wanting tattoos, said that most of them are friends, who pay for his work. “I have to get paid because I need to buy needles and ink from Bangkok,” he said.Sonam Dorji also said that he and his two other friends had submitted their proposal to the regional trade office about 18 months ago. “When we applied they just said that it’s not allowed,” Sonam said.
Another tattooist, Kuengyel Dhoendrup said that he has stopped doing it now even as a hobby. “The trade doesn’t allow so what’s the point in doing it,” he said. “As long as proper equipment and safety measures are in place, I think they should allow.”
Tattoos, doctors say, come with risks. The public health director, Dr Ugen Dophu, said that, because needles are used, it’s an invasive procedure and that piercing skin increases the chances of HIV, Hepatitis B and C infections. “It’s dangerous and a risky but, if tattooists are trained medically in infection control and sterilisation, they can do it,” the public health director said.
Dr Ugen Dophu said they had received an application last year, forwarded by the regional trade office, which was then sent to the Bhutan medical and health douncil (BMHC), “BMHC must have said that if the applicants produced the certificate stating that they are trained, then they can be given the right to do it commercially,” Dr Ugen Dophu said.Tattooists like Sonam said that they would continue doing it. “If they give me a license, I’ll do it as a business and if they don’t, I’ll do it as a hobby.”