VietNamNet Bridge – Ministry of Transport inspectors and the Ministry of Public Security began monitoring train ticket sales and public order at railway stations in HCM City on Monday.

Customers who booked online come to claim tickets at the Sai Gon Rail Station. The Ministry of Transport is conducting inspections at HCM City's railway stations to monitor public order at train ticket sale locations during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday. (Photo: VNS)

Train ticket agents found in violation of the rules will receive administrative punishment of up to VND70 million (US$3,300) or be suspended from selling tickets, according to Le Van Doan, deputy head of the Inspection Division One under the Ministry of Transport's Inspection Department.

Inspectors will monitor public order at train ticket sale locations during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, checking tickets on trains, preventing station employees from buying and re-selling tickets at higher prices, and monitoring the ticket sale system on the www.vetau.com.vn website.

This wave of inspections was announced after a meeting with Ministry of Transport inspectors, the Ministry of Public Security, the Sai Gon Railway officials on Monday.

In the meeting, the head of the Sai Gon Railway Station Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuong said the station had suspended four agents for violating ticket sale regulations.

Phuong said all station employees had agreed not to buy tickets and sell them at a higher prices for profit.

The station currently has more than 7,000 tickets for trains running from Sai Gon to Ha Noi before the holiday and about 4,000 tickets for the return journey after the holiday.

Vu Ta Tung, director of the Sai Gon Railway Corporation, said passenger demand usually increased dramatically a week before the Tet holiday and was 10 times more than the railway's capacity.

The difference between supply and demand led to pressures which created a demand for illegal ticket sales, he said.

Phuong said website ticket sales were convenient, but also posed an opportunity for people to falsely register for tickets to re-sell at a higher price.

Inspectors have also said that ticket monitoring on trains was not enough and needed improvement, she said.

The railway has strict regulations stating that employees discovered selling a train ticket worth over VND300,000 (US$14) illegally, their employment would be terminated, Tung said.

Illegal train ticket sales at cheaper than face value prices would receive a warning or administrative fine of up to VND20 million ($950), he said.

VietNamNet/Viet Nam News