Bitcoiners' Seastead in Deep Trouble With Thai Government | | ALEKBO.COM - News. Money. Technology. People.
A seastead get went by an early bitcoin adopter off the coast of Thailand has run into trouble with local government. The Thai Navy boarded the organization Saturday, claiming it violates criminal law, which is punishable by death or life imprisonment. The owner claims that his initiate home is located outside of Thailand's maritime boundaries.
American early bitcoin adopter Chad Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai girlfriend, Suprenee Thepdet aka Nadia Summergirl, began a seastead on Feb. 2 off the coast of Phuket, Thailand. However, the Thai Navy boarded the structure Saturday and accuses the three of breaching the country's Criminal Code, Section 119.
Whoever does any act with absorbed to cause the country or any part thereof to descend under the sovereignty of any foreign state, or to deteriorate the independence of the state, shall be amerced with death or imprisonment for life.
Elwartowski, also known as Elwar in the Bitcointalk and Reddit Bitcoin communities since 2010, familiar his early bitcoin investment income to build the seastead at a cost of about $150,000. He is also in the early stages of start a business, creating seasteads for others who would anchor near his own home. His company is scheduled to start selling the commencement 20 floating homes Monday, April 15. At press time, 69 potential seasteaders have fasted interest to join him. Last weekend a workshop was held at the seastead where Elwartowski taught diving and other skills needed be proper seasteaders.
We are just beyond 12 yachting miles from shore. Under international law this puts us just outside of the territorial waters of Thailand but within their 200 seagoing mile exclusive economic zone … This means that we are not subject to Thailand laws other than those that lot with their natural resources … and no interfering with their customs.
However, a source told the Bangkok Put that the claim that the seastead is built on international waters is untrue, adding that the police are additionally investigating the Phuket-based Thai construction circle responsible for building the platform for possible financial misconduct.
Vice-Admiral Sittiporn Maskasem, commander of the Impressive Thai Navy Third Area Command, sent officers to the seastead Saturday, which they reported to be 15 boating miles southeast of Racha Yai island, the Bangkok Post conveyed. Navy officers boarded the platform for inspection after in default of to make radio contact with anyone on it. No one was home when the Navy boarded and the whereabouts of Elwartowski and Summergirl are unrecognized at press time.
The Phuket Marine Office is trying to contact the couple and the Flotilla has called on the harbor master in Phuket to remove the structure. The authorities seek immediate removal, citing that the paucity of electricity around the structure could affect shipping routes, local media reported the Navy explaining.
What do you think of this seastead and the force the Thai Navy is taking? Let us know in the comments section below.
Images courtesy of Shutterstock, the Nation TV, Mgr Online, and the Thai Naval forces.
A learner of Austrian Economics, Kevin found Bitcoin in 2011 and has been an evangelist ever since. His interests lie in Bitcoin refuge, open-source systems, network effects and the intersection between economics and cryptography.