Transport Ministry uncovers loophole in sale of Tet tickets

Transport Ministry Inspectorate has uncovered a serious loophole in the process of sale of Tet train tickets by Saigon Railways, which resulted in a huge scarcity of tickets for disappointed passengers.

Transport Ministry Inspectorate has uncovered a serious loophole in the process of sale of Tet train tickets by Saigon Railways, which resulted in a huge scarcity of tickets for disappointed passengers.

Passengers queuing for Tet train tickets at the Saigon Railway Station (Photo: SGGP)
Passengers queuing for Tet train tickets at the Saigon Railway Station (Photo: SGGP)

Trinh Viet Loc, deputy chief inspector of the Ministry of Transport on Monday said that Saigon Railway Station had sold over 6,000 tickets so far, accounting for six percent of the total number of printed tickets, as a public relation gesture.

Online booking accounted for 30 percent, with a passenger being allowed to book a maximum of only four round-trip tickets per person on the vetau.com.vn website, with a payment time-frame of 72 hours.

In case of non-payment within 72 hours, booking got cancelled automatically and the tickets were sold off to another customer. This process caused uncertainty, as cancelled tickets were not always resold.

Analyzing the selling process, transport ministry inspectors found several accounts created by the same IP address but with a few discreet changes towards the end.

The data on website vetau.com.vn and the computer network system at the station also varied. For instance, passengers booked tickets and made payments online. Once the payments came through, staff at the station fed in the passenger data and printed the tickets accordingly.

This easy access to passenger data made it possible for staff at the railway station to switch information provided by passengers.

Minister of Transport has now instructed Saigon Railways not to sell Tet tickets for public relations anymore, control data on website vetau.com.vn, monitor log-in accounts and be aware of any other   possible loopholes in the process of sale of Tet train tickets.

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