Bitcoin Seastead backer in battle with Thai authorities

[webfact]

Bitcoin Seastead backer in battle with Thai authorities

By The Thaiger

 

 

A ‘seastead’ project, launched by an early bitcoin adopter off the coast of Phuket island in Thailand’s south is running into trouble with local government authorities.

 

The Royal Thai Navy and Phuket Maritime authorities boarded the structure on Sunday, saying that the structure violates criminal law and poses a navigation hazard.

 

‘sea-stead’, noun – a permanent settlement on a structure located in an area of sea outside the jurisdiction of any country.

 

Full story: https://thethaiger.com/hot-news/bitcoin-seastead-backer-in-battle-with-thai-authorities

 

-- © Copyright The Thaiger 2019-04-16

[steelepulse]

I can't see this ending well for this guy.  Even if he wins his legal case, there will be some sort of rogue vessel that accidentally runs over this thing.

[khwaibah]

Elwartowski used his early bitcoin investment income to build the seastead at a cost of about $150,000

 

$150,000 for a short time hotel.

Edited April 16, 2019 by Rimmer
Font corrected

[toenail]

Why didn’t this USA citizen dock his “toy” off the shores of Florida or California?  (-because he thought Thailand wouldn’t find fault. —move it too the shores of Myanmar.

[monkeycu]

This is why the Thai navy need submarines, discrete removal of such structures. 

[Kinnock]

He needs to invite some Chinese nationals to join him - problem solved.

[neeray]

This seems like a great idea (to me).

If Thailand doesn’t want this 21st century community outside its territorial waters, I’m reasonably sure many other countries would welcome it. 

[Oziex1]

Taking "off shore tax haven" to another level. 

[nasa123]

Casino land. 

[Puchaiyank]

Romantic and moronic at the same time...

 

Someone should suggest he build his floating community next to the controversial Chinese military base in the South China sea...

 

Both could find common ground as a rogue enterprise...????

[RBOP]

An interesting topic this seasteading . I'd be more concerned about the safety aspects. It has no safety colors. No markings other than a orange buoy. I didn't see any life raft/boat or safety equipment like life jackets, fire extinguishers, lights, radar reflectors etc in any of the videos/pictures. Did they issue a Notice to Mariners on the position of the structure? Does the structure comply with IMO, SOLARIS, and/or MARPOL international conventions? Dreams all start somewhere I guess. Have fun but be safe and don't be surprised when the first storm sinks your house or get sued from a fisherman who runs into it. 

[richard_smith237]

A bit of a whacky idea...  Even though he's beyond 12 NM putting him beyond Thai Territorial waters - placing him in International Waters. 

 

It would seem he has internationally recognized legal rights providing he is not interfering with shipping navigation - which, without electricity / lighting he could be. 

 

That said, how deep is the seabed for him to secure his structure - it may be too shallow for shipping anyway. 

 

Quote

But local maritime authorities argue that the claim that the seastead is built on international waters is untrue. 

 

If the structure is 12 NM (22.2km) from the Nearest Coast line - then it's in International Waters - no debate there and easy to measure. 

 

 

Personally - China's encroachment on the South China Sea & Spratley Island area is a far greater concern for the whole region than 1 guy who's a little nuts building a seastead.

[zib]

Dont understand why they say no electricity. There's aleast 600W of solar panels on top of it.

[SteveB2]

International Waters blah blah blah -  Yer right - as if that's the only thing that matters...

 

He is located in one of Thailand's Thailand Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).

 

This gent would not be the first to be burnt assuming that being in international waters he was outside Thailand's field of influence - he isn't.

 

The Thai have flexed their musles before with these kind of issues. It will not end good for him if he does not comply with a Thai gun boats instructions, as in the Mike Hatcher Australia Thai incident.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2019 by SteveB2
Puncuation. Readbility.

[YTP]

Why would you want to maroon yourself in the middle of the ocean, in a 15sqm floating can, with a Thai woman and no escape?

 

Would drive me insane in a matter of minutes!  Good luck.

[4evermaat]

How does one deal with pirates?  Particularly a bunch of them descending upon your area at once?

[Kinnock]

1 hour ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

Personally - China's encroachment on the South China Sea & Spratley Island area is a far greater concern for the whole region than 1 guy who's a little nuts building a seastead.

True, but does he have an air craft carrier, own most of the USA debt and command a billion shouting tourists?  These are key factors when planning marine squatting.

[balo]

3 hours ago, YTP said:

Why would you want to maroon yourself in the middle of the ocean, in a 15sqm floating can, with a Thai woman and no escape?

Try to listen to her in the video they made was enough for me. Imagine a life with her babbling away and no escape. 

[atyclb]

multipart documentary about construction/launch

 

 

 

[Enoon]

9 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

 

If the structure is 12 NM (22.2km) from the Nearest Coast line - then it's in International Waters - no debate there and easy to measure. 

 

 

In International waters BUT also in Thailands Contiguous Zone:

 

"The contiguous zone is a band of water extending farther from the outer edge of the territorial sea to up to 24 nautical miles (44.4 km; 27.6 mi) from the baseline, within which a state can exert limited control for the purpose of preventing or punishing "infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea"

 

......which indeed extends to 24 NM, as promulgated in 1995:

 

"1. The contiguous zone of the Kingdom of Thailand is the area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea of the Kingdom of Thailand, the breadth of which extends to twenty-four nautical miles measured from the baselines used for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea.

 

2. In the contiguous zone, the Kingdom of Thailand shall act as necessary to:(a) Prevent violation of customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations, which will or may be committed within the Kingdom or its territorial sea;(b) Punish violation of the laws and regulations defined in (a), which is committed within the Kingdom or its territorial sea.

 

Proclaimed on the 14th day of August, B.E. 2538, being the forty-ninth year of the present reign."

 

 

The zone where things start to get......murky.

 

 

 

 

Edited April 16, 2019 by Enoon

[Inn Between]

13 hours ago, neeray said:

This seems like a great idea (to me).

If Thailand doesn’t want this 21st century community outside its territorial waters, I’m reasonably sure many other countries would welcome it. 

Each to their own, of course. I respect that the situation appeals to you, but I'm sure I'd hate it and would feel more like I was in prison than actually having a life. This is definitely not for everyone. It would be interesting to run a survey in this thread to see how many people would give that lifestyle a try. 

[Jan Dietz]

As soon as the first cluster of let's say 500, 600 units is done, I'd be happy to give it a go

[balo]

We already have acro

14 hours ago, Inn Between said:

nd would feel more like I was in prison than actually having a life.

True, and if you want to live out in the ocean, we already have cruise ships you can live on all year round.

On Symphony of the Seas , the largest cruise ship in the world, you can retire and live your life on the ship for a yearly cost of $120 000 , all inclusive.  Not cheap but if you have the money, why not?

That means luxury at sea and not inside a "prison" where you can't go nowhere, 

 

 

 

 

[RJRS1301]

14 hours ago, Inn Between said:

Each to their own, of course. I respect that the situation appeals to you, but I'm sure I'd hate it and would feel more like I was in prison than actually having a life. This is definitely not for everyone. It would be interesting to run a survey in this thread to see how many people would give that lifestyle a try. 

Reliable internet connections??

Cost of going to the shops for provisions, boat required, car maintained on land, medical emergencies??