- Asian governments move employees home due to power shortages caused by US-Israel war in Iran
- Pakistan requires half of public sector workers to work remotely immediately
- Vietnam urges citizens to ride bicycles and adopt remote work strategies
Governments across Asia have issued new directives for public sector employees to work from home as US and Israeli attacks on Iran disrupt oil supplies and cause fuel shortages.
In Pakistan, Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines, governments have imposed measures aimed at reducing energy consumption and conserving limited fuel resources.
They are building on their previous experience during the COVID-19 pandemic to implement remote work at scale.
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Asian nations take steps to reduce fuel consumption
In Pakistan, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif ordered half of all government employees to work from home and strongly encouraged private companies to adopt similar measures, and universities and other higher education institutions moved to shift classes online.
Officials stress that remote work is a necessary step to reduce fuel consumption while maintaining essential services.
Vietnam's Ministry of Industry and Trade has also urged citizens to work remotely if possible and use bicycles instead of motorized vehicles.
Thailand, on the other hand, has ordered public sector employees not directly involved in providing frontline services to stay home.
The Southeast Asian nation insists that air conditioning temperatures be set at 26°C and encourages the use of stairs instead of elevators.
Meanwhile, the Philippines has adopted a four-day stay-in-place policy for public sector staff.
This allows agencies to designate common work-from-home days or compress the work week, while promoting virtual meetings to limit unnecessary travel.
Authorities introduced these measures amid warnings that power supplies could also be affected.
Although data center operators maintain diesel generators for backup power, most only have fuel for a few days.
This raises concerns about the sustainability of virtual infrastructure over long periods.
The region's previous experience with remote work has allowed governments to use productivity tools and video conferencing platforms.
The measures show that, even amid geopolitical crises, governments can implement large-scale remote operations if digital infrastructure is available and authorities carefully manage operational limitations.
While the change is driven by energy conservation, it also shows how conflicts like the US war in Iran can accelerate long-term changes in labor practices.
Asian governments now rely on technology and stable supply chains to sustain their operations.
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