Kathmandu, January 6:

The relatives of the inmates serving sentences on charges of drug peddling in different prisons in Bangkok today urged the government to take initiative for their kin’s extradition.

Bir Bahadur Tamang, whose relative is serving sentence in a jail in Bangkok, appealed to the government to bring back the Nepalis, serving sentences in different jails in Thailand, by signing the Prisoners Transfer Exchange Treaty (PTET) with the Thai government.

“We want our relatives to serve their jail term in Nepal so that we can meet them,” he said.

Thailand has PTET with many countries and citizens of those countries seldom stay in prison longer than eight years.

“We have found that even Nigerians serving terms in Thailand were transfered to their country, but Nepal government never listened to our requests. Many of the families here have just heard of their relatives’ arrest in Thailand but are not sure about it,” he said.

Padam Maya Tamang, mother of six-year-old daughter, said her husband had flown for Macao via Bangkok, five month ago and she was told that her husband got caught in Bangkok.

“I have not heard from him ever since,” she said.

Among those languishing in Bangkok jails, Bishnu Kumari Bista is 71-year-old and has already served 13 years of her 33-year jail term. “She told me in my last visit that she wanted to see her mother,” said Bir Bahadur, who had gone to Bangkok with Ben Park, an American national.

“The inmates have not been able to call their home as Nepali embassy denies to attest the number,” he said.

Surprisingly, 20 individuals serving sentence in Bangkok jails are from Dhading district alone.