Iran energy crisis spurs work-from-home calls half a world away

Policymakers are acting to rein in consumption as inflation also threatens additional strain. Read more at straitstimes.com.

From Bangkok to Manila, officials in South-east Asia are rolling out work-from-home mandates and other fuel conservation measures to shield their economies from surging oil prices, underscoring how an energy shock triggered by the war in Iran is reshaping daily routines half a world away.

Thailand is requiring most government agencies to adopt full-time work-from-home arrangements as part of emergency efforts to reduce energy demand. The order covers all state employees whose roles aren’t directly tied to public services.

The Philippines has sought to cut fuel consumption by shifting government employees to a four-day work week as at March 9, although the shorter schedule is temporary and excludes emergency and frontline services. Some state entities have said they will extend fuel subsidies to fisherfolk, farmers and public transport drivers.

In Malaysia, meanwhile, the government will decide on March 17 the feasibility of work-from-home arrangements for civil servants.

The steps illustrate how quickly rising crude prices can ripple through transport, electricity and food expenses in economies where fuel is a key input and subsidies are limited.

The Philippines is seen by economists as among the region’s most vulnerable to inflation risks from higher oil costs, while Thailand’s heavy reliance on Middle East crude – with daily refined oil consumption at about 124 million litres – leaves it exposed to supply disruptions.