A Tuoi Tre reader was fined VND90,000 (US$4.5) for violating traffic law, but was given as many as 18 receipts each valued at VND5,000 for the penalty. “It is necessary that any infringement upon the law be penalized. But such a huge number of receipts is truly a waste,” he wrote in a letter sent to Tuoi Tre Thursday. A representative from the road traffic police confirmed with Tuoi Tre that the police have actually handed over 18 receipts to the said traffic violator. “This kind of receipt was once common as traffic violators were usually imposed fines of VND75,000 or VDN 85,000 [odd multiples of 5,000 hence, VND5,000-denominated receipts],” he explained, adding that such VND5,000 receipts are no longer issued as fines are now in even multiples of VND5,000. “That police unit must have wanted to make use of the old VND5,000 receipts left,” he said.