Seastead dismantled and being towed to port

[snoop1130]

Seastead dismantled and being towed to port

By The Nation 
Phuket

 

The seastead located at some 14 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket is dragged to the island’s deep-sea port for use as evidence. // Charoon Thongnual

 

A sea home belonging to an American man has been dismantled and is being towed by naval vessels to the Phuket deep sea port.

 

Three royal ships and about 300 Navy officers, led by the Third Naval Area Command, were involved in the operation on Monday to dismantle the seastead off the coast of Phuket and take it ashore.

 

The operation started in the morning and the structure is expected to reach the shore by evening. 

 

The officers started by separating the seastead structure from its pylon and floating pontoon. It will be taken to the Port of Phuket in Cape Panwa, where it will be kept as evidence for legal cases. 

 

 

The floating structure was built by Ocean Builders and was owned by bitcoin investor Chad Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai girlfriend, Supranee Thepdet (aka Nadia Summergirl). 

 

It is located to the southeast of Koh Racha Yai, 14 nautical miles from the mainland. 

 

The Royal Thai Navy said it had full authority and duty to protect national interest and marine sovereignty in the area, as the couple’s seastead was located in Thailand’s exclusive economic zone, 200 nautical miles off the mainland.

 

The couple faces charges of threatening the Kingdom’s sovereignty, and could face the death penalty or life in prison.

 

Elwartowski’s visa has been revoked and he has been put on a blacklist by Immigration police. He and Supranee are still on the run.

 

Naval and Phuket Maritime personnel boarded the structure a week ago and said it violated criminal law and posed a navigational hazard.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30368155

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-22

[Ken Jones]

I hope they charge this American for dismantling and storage of his nest. After a quick search on google one can determine Chad Andrew Elwartowski is not a very rich man like he claims to be, he owns a 2007 Toyota truck and lives with his mother in Florida. This floating nest was likely all the money he had saved up.

[impulse]

I, on the other hand, wish Thailand had handled it with a little more finesse, simply telling the couple that their innovation violated Thai law, and allowing them to remove it at their own expense.   Or, move it somewhere out of the way of shipping, even within Thai waters- subject to Thai law.

 

Instead, they've stifled innovation, put the fear of God into anyone wanting to try something new in Thailand, and cost the taxpayers a lot of money. 

 

In 20 years, when there are flotillas of zillionaires living off the coast of Malaysia, Myanmar or Cambodia, and entire offshore resorts drawing $$ billions in tourist cash, Thailand will be on the outside looking in. 

 

[impulse]

2 hours ago, Ken Jones said:

I hope they charge this American for dismantling and storage of his nest. After a quick search on google one can determine Chad Andrew Elwartowski is not a very rich man like he claims to be, he owns a 2007 Toyota truck and lives with his mother in Florida. This floating nest was likely all the money he had saved up.

 

So, if you live in Thailand, you'd have a brand new car in the driveway back home and leave an empty mansion instead of staying with relatives when you visit?  Must be nice to have that kind of money to fritter away.  Most of the wealthy people I know are a little more frugal.

 

Also, can you point to any claims that he's made about his status?  Sure, lots of postulating in the media.  But I don't recall him claiming anything.

 

[webfact]

Thai navy tows floating home of fugitive U.S. 'seasteader'

By Panu Wongcha-um

 

A Royal Thai navy ship drags a floating home, lived in by an American man and his Thai partner, in the Andaman Sea, off Phuket Island in Thailand, April 22, 2019. REUTERS/Stringer

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's navy on Monday began towing to shore the floating cabin of a fugitive U.S. citizen and his Thai girlfriend, both prominent members of the "seasteading" movement who face possible death sentences for setting up their offshore home.

 

The cabin set on top of a spar 14 nautical miles off the Thai island of Phuket had been touted as milestone in the movement to build floating communities in international waters as a way to explore alternative societies and governments.

 

Authorities have revoked the visa of bitcoin trader Chad Elwartowski, 46, and charged him and his partner, Supranee Thepdet, with violating Thai sovereignty, punishable by the death penalty or life in prison.

 

The Royal Thai Navy dispatched three boats on Monday to dismantle the structure and bring it back to shore for use as evidence in the government's case against the couple.

 

"The couple announced on social media declaring their autonomy beyond the jurisdiction of any courts or law of any countries, including Thailand," Rear Admiral Vithanarat Kochaseni told reporters, adding they had invited others to join them.

 

"We see such action as deteriorating Thailand's independence," he said.

 

HTMS Mannai, a landing craft utility ship, was expected to return to Phuket with the six-metre (20 ft) wide, hexagon-shaped cabin by late Monday.

 

Elwartowski and Supranee lived in the cabin for two months and left before the Thai navy raided the structure on April 13.

Their whereabouts are unknown, though the government has said the pair is believed to be inThailand.

 

Elwartowski has referred requests for comment to Ocean Builders, which funded and built the cabin, and the Seasteading Institute, which advocates building offshore floating cities and originally received backing from PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel.

 

Ocean Builders said on its website the cabin was in international waters and beyond Thailand's jurisdiction. Thai authorities say the structure is within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone and therefore a violation of its sovereignty.

 

Joe Quirk, president of the Seasteading Institute, said the couple had achieved a milestone for the movement.

 

"They proved a single-family seastead can float stably in international waters for less than the cost of the average American home," Quirk said in a statement.

 

Elwartowski also conducted valuable research on ecosystems over the two months the couple lived in the cabin, he said.

"You can demolish the seastead, but you can't demolish the knowledge that was gained," said Quirk, who is described by his group as a "seavangelist" and an "aquapreneur".

 

(Additional reporting by Panarat Thepgumpanat. Editing by Kay Johnson and Darren Schuettler)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-23

 

 

[Aussie999]

I wonder what the "legality" in removing this is, if in international waters, wouldn't this be piracy. Yes, I know it's within Thailand's economic zone, but that is different, as the "owners" are no removing anything of economic value.

[RotMahKid]

So where exactly was it located, in messages I read about 40 plus km and in other messages they write about 14 nautical miles, that is still a big difference in distance, so who was right?

40 km = 21,5 nautical miles.

I only see the living space that they removed, where is the construction on what is was Build?

Did they left it there? I thought is was a danger for the ships at open sea?

16 people in the rubber boats watching 555.

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Ocean Builders said on its website the cabin was in international waters and beyond Thailand's jurisdiction. Thai authorities say the structure is within its 200-mile exclusive economic zone

O let me guess, the entire sea is thailand's

[impulse]

1 hour ago, Aussie999 said:

I wonder what the "legality" in removing this is, if in international waters, wouldn't this be piracy. Yes, I know it's within Thailand's economic zone, but that is different, as the "owners" are no removing anything of economic value.

 

There are 3 limits to consider... 12 miles, 24 miles and 200 miles.  24 miles is considered a "contiguous zone" and it's treated differently than an exclusive economic zone.  Still, some questions about the legality, but given that the seastead was anchored and intended to stay stationary, it's different than a boat. 

 

Contiguous Zone

Each coastal State may claim a contiguous zone adjacent to and beyond its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 24 nm from its baselines. In its contiguous zone, a coastal State may exercise the control necessary to prevent the infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea, and punish infringement of those laws and regulations committed within its territory or territorial sea. Additionally, in order to control trafficking in archaeological and historical objects found at sea, a coastal State may presume that their removal from the seabed of the contiguous zone without its consent is unlawful.

 

https://www.gc.noaa.gov/gcil_maritime.html#contiguous

 

[geoffbezoz]

In the first picture I can count five people wearing life preservers, whilst the rest of the crowd do not.  Amassing Thailand and even more amassing that the RTN display their gross lack of safety awareness to the entire world.

 

Good to see one of those is taking a photo/video on his mobile phone.  Guess that is so he can share it withe the 300 service personnel on 3 naval vessels that it took to undertake such a simple operation.  Probably they all will get awarded some shiny metal decorations for them to wear which perhaps would be the Thai equivalent of "service above and beyond the call of duty" .

[Oziex1]

Biggest thing to happen to the RTN in years.

[DPKANKAN]

8 hours ago, impulse said:

I, on the other hand, wish Thailand had handled it with a little more finesse, simply telling the couple that their innovation violated Thai law, and allowing them to remove it at their own expense.   Or, move it somewhere out of the way of shipping, even within Thai waters- subject to Thai law.

 

Instead, they've stifled innovation, put the fear of God into anyone wanting to try something new in Thailand, and cost the taxpayers a lot of money. 

 

In 20 years, when there are flotillas of zillionaires living off the coast of Malaysia, Myanmar or Cambodia, and entire offshore resorts drawing $$ billions in tourist cash, Thailand will be on the outside looking in. 

 

Perhaps there will be another court case where the Thai Navy gets done for piracy!! 555????????????????????????

[Hayduke]

11 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Seastead dismantled and being towed to port

 

Thank God. We can once again rest easy...knowing that Thailand's highly trained, superbly equipped, and magnificently led armed forces stand ready to meet any insidious, vile, foreign challenge to the nation's sovereignty.

 

 

[webfact]

Phuket’s ‘seastead’ is now a sad ‘homestead’ back on shore – VIDEO

By Kritsada Mueanhawong

 

 

The Phuket seastead removal operation was a success yesterday, according to the Royal Thai Navy. The controversial seastead structure is now under guard at the Port of Thailand. The Royal Thai Navy says they are confident with the evidence they have for any litigation that may follow the removal of the structure from its offshore home, some 22 kilometres off the coast of Phuket.

 

About 300 navy officers were involved in the process removing the structure from the south east coast of the island yesterday morning.

 

The seastead finally arrived at the Phuket Deep Sea Port in Cape Panwa at about 10pm last night.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/news/phuket/phukets-seastead-is-now-a-sad-homestead-back-on-shore-video

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-04-23

[Juan B Tong]

"I only see the living space that they removed, where is the construction on what is was Build?

Did they left it there? I thought is was a danger for the ships at open sea?"

 

It will most likely be towed back to shore by the flogged out wooden boat piloted by the old man and a couple of underage boys that towed it out there.  Then it will be sold for scrap.

[JoePai]

...seastead structure is now under guard at the Port of Thailand

 

Can never be too careful, the little rascal could always try an escape

[tifino]

I am still eagerly awaiting a photo; of 300 pristine whitewashed Navy officers, all cuddling together on the little buoy, and getting their hands dirty! 

[owenm]

For such a simple task to dismantle and remove, bring to port, an absolute overkill with 3 Royal navy ships and 300 personnel on board at the scene.. And the cost of the operation?? 

[wgdanson]

14 hours ago, snoop1130 said:

Three royal ships and about 300 Navy officers, led by the Third Naval Area Command, were involved in the operation

I wonder how many men it took to build it.

[neeray]

27 minutes ago, owenm said:

For such a simple task to dismantle and remove, bring to port, an absolute overkill with 3 Royal navy ships and 300 personnel on board at the scene.. And the cost of the operation?? 

Is there actually a cost in this operation? The navy is floating around anyway doing squat. So there isn't really any new expense to be "floated".

[neeray]

This removed, aquatic domicile may be the revival needed for Thai tourism.

 

Viewing privilege, 50 baht with Thai ID card, 500 baht if no card.

 

To view American/Thai couple inside cooking rice and steak, 5X.

 

To view execution of death penalty, 100X.

[Jazz5555]

How did they get it on the flotation devise in the first place?

 

[atyclb]

15 hours ago, Ken Jones said:

I hope they charge this American for dismantling and storage of his nest. After a quick search on google one can determine Chad Andrew Elwartowski is not a very rich man like he claims to be, he owns a 2007 Toyota truck and lives with his mother in Florida. This floating nest was likely all the money he had saved up.

 

IKEA founder is known for extreme care with money
Ingvar Kamprad flies budget class, takes the bus and eats at IKEA cafe

 

also known to shop at second hand clothing stores

[Krataiboy]

13 hours ago, impulse said:

I, on the other hand, wish Thailand had handled it with a little more finesse, simply telling the couple that their innovation violated Thai law, and allowing them to remove it at their own expense.   Or, move it somewhere out of the way of shipping, even within Thai waters- subject to Thai law.

 

Instead, they've stifled innovation, put the fear of God into anyone wanting to try something new in Thailand, and cost the taxpayers a lot of money. 

 

In 20 years, when there are flotillas of zillionaires living off the coast of Malaysia, Myanmar or Cambodia, and entire offshore resorts drawing $$ billions in tourist cash, Thailand will be on the outside looking in. 

 

Since the oceans account for five sevenths of the earth's surface here, aren't sea cities a possible solution to the "overpopulation problem" which so-called experts are constantly banging on about?

 

Assuming any technical difficulties could be overcome, a building boom on the briny would create huge numbers of new construction and other jobs. It would also free up land to grow more food and create wildlife parks for threatened animal species.

 

N.B. I've just read that less than two per cent of the world's surface is actually occupied by humans, though our activities (farming, for example) swallow up a lot more. Still, even taking these into account over half our planet is lying fallow.

[Srikcir]

12 hours ago, webfact said:

"We see such action as deteriorating Thailand's independence,"

So does this "invasion" of a seastead right under its military nose mean that Thailand can no longer claimed it has never been conquered?

[geoffbezoz]

3 hours ago, atyclb said:

 

IKEA founder is known for extreme care with money
Ingvar Kamprad flies budget class, takes the bus and eats at IKEA cafe

 

also known to shop at second hand clothing stores

Well as he died last year I bet he is dead chaffed about the service he gets. Must put his urn in the overhead lockers when he flies and must be extra careful not to drop his ash on the IKEA cafe floor. ????

 

 

[kkerry]

5 hours ago, tifino said:

I am still eagerly awaiting a photo; of 300 pristine whitewashed Navy officers, all cuddling together on the little buoy, and getting their hands dirty! 

 

I'm looking forward to the photo of 300 Navy officers surrounding this disabled threat to the nation... and pointing...

[colinneil]

6 hours ago, Juan B Tong said:

"I only see the living space that they removed, where is the construction on what is was Build?

Did they left it there? I thought is was a danger for the ships at open sea?"

 

It will most likely be towed back to shore by the flogged out wooden boat piloted by the old man and a couple of underage boys that towed it out there.  Then it will be sold for scrap.

They are going to bomb the rest of the structure with planes flying off the aircraft carrier.????

OOPS silly me, they aint got any planes that can fly off that floating hotel.

[natway09]

300 ??????

[eezergood]

7 hours ago, Jazz5555 said:

How did they get it on the flotation devise in the first place?

 

EXACTLY!!