Curbing Wasteful Foreign Trips

The government has introduced stricter policies governing foreign travel by civil servants. From now on, ministries, commissions and government departments must submit requests to the Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers for approval before any employee travels abroad. Employees whose trips have not been pre-approved will be prohibited from traveling abroad. Those returning from study tours, training programs, meetings, seminars, workshops or conferences must share the outcomes with their colleagues within five working days of returning to work. The government says the sole purpose of these changes is to bring order, reduce costs and increase accountability regarding official foreign travel. Statistics show that a decision of this nature was indeed necessary. From 2021 to 2025, more than 56,269 public officials and government employees traveled abroad. The number increased sharply from 3,787 in 2021 to 13,557 in 2025. In fact, 9,528 officials went abroad in 2022, followed by 16,105 in 2023 and 13,292 in 2024. On average, more than 11,000 government employees traveled abroad each year during this five-year period. When such a large number of officials are involved, the matter deserves closer scrutiny. Officials should not be allowed to travel overseas without a clear and legitimate purpose. Government employees do need to participate in international negotiations, undergo technical training, engage in policy discussions, attend specialized programs and take part in exchange programs abroad. Exposure to more sophisticated systems and management practices can contribute to more efficient public administration and better public services.