Manhunt launched for American over ‘seastead’ fiasco

[webfact]

Manhunt launched for American over ‘seastead’ fiasco

By Tanyaluk Sakoot

 

American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Supranee ‘Nadia’ Thepdet are now wanted by the Thai military and the police for threeatening national security over a ‘seastead’ built 42 kilometres south of Phuket. Photo: Chad Elwartowski Facebook public profile photo

 

PHUKET: Phuket officials this morning confirmed that they are now searching for American Chad Elwartowski, whose permit to stay in Thailand has been revoked and is now wanted on criminal charges filed by the Royal Thai Navy.

 

The news came after an urgent meeting called this morning to discuss the issue of the seastead south of Phuket that the Royal Thai Navy has now filed a criminal complaint against, and is moving to have destroyed.

 

Phuket Governor Phakaphong Tavipatana initially ejected reporters from the meeting, attended by Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai along with officers from the Phuket Provincial Police, Phuket Marine Office, Phuket Immigration Police, the Royal Thai Army, and the Phuket Public Prosecutor’s Office, among others.

Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/manhunt-launched-for-american-over-seastead-fiasco-71121.php#EBvGozfQiLx6pUlq.99 

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-04-17

[ThomasThBKK]

Just tell them to remove it and be done, damn drama queens here...

[Tilacme]

Sounds a bit heavy handed

[colinneil]

5 minutes ago, Tilacme said:

Sounds a bit heavy handed

He is farang, so they gotta make a BIG show of tracking him down.

Pity BIG joke not available for the job, would have been a good photo op for him.

[Pravda]

Totally unrelated, but both of them are heavily Photoshopped in the picture. 

[Oziex1]

He's rich, squeeze him. 

[from the home of CC]

too much $, not enough brains...

[jonclark]

I would love to know what the nature of the threat that this small house posed to national security. 

[rumak]

13 hours ago, jonclark said:

I would love to know what the nature of the threat that this small house posed to national security. 

read the article.   maybe this part would have something to do with the problem they face.......

"The move to hunt down the couple follows posts on the website for Ocean Builders, which operates the project to build the seastead, criticising Thailand and its current leaders for being a “dictatorship” and a tyranny”.
Read more at https://www.thephuketnews.com/manhunt-launched-for-american-over-seastead-fiasco-71121.php#7v8vJ7iovCu1T0uQ.99

Edited April 17, 2019 by metisdead
Oversize font reset to normal.

[lemonjelly]

So the guy just stayed there for a few weeks for an alternate experience. He didn’t have anything to do with it’s construction or funding of its construction... and now he’s hunted  blacklisted. It seems that the authorities have misunderstood the circumstances, but admitting that is out of the question I guess... dinosaurs do think rather slowly.

[Hayduke]

2 hours ago, webfact said:

American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Supranee ‘Nadia’ Thepdet are now wanted by the Thai military and the police for threeatening national security over a ‘seastead’

 

Talk about overkill. Seems this government never passes on an opportunity to look stupid.

 

 

[Nsp64]

But all the illegally built homes and hotels are ok.

 

[user343434]

Isn't there a 12 Miles zone as per international maritime law?

 

41 minutes ago, rumak said:

criticising Thailand and its current leaders for being a “dictatorship” and a tyranny”.

That is off cause a bit stupid of the American guy.

In my opinion Thailand provides him with the hospitality to live here and when things go the wrong way he talks bad about the government. Sure not to say thank you for let me be part of the country. 

 

If he would have chosen a more diplomatic wording there would be sure some ears in the Thai Government listening to some possible opportunities that would benefit also the Thai People and the Country.

If somebody approaches me that rude I would think the same, get rid of him... 

[frozenpuck]

Who knew you could get the death penalty for staying at an alternative guesthouse out in the middle of the ocean. Go figure.

Edited April 17, 2019 by frozenpuck

[Richard Kuklinski]

10 minutes ago, frozenpuck said:

Who knew you could get the death penalty for staying at an alternative guesthouse out in the middle of the ocean. Go figure.

By the time the Thai's finish with him, he will be charged with running a terrorist training camp for the purpose of overthrowing the Thai government and Thai monarchy.  He's probably on his way to Dubai, as we speak.  ????

 

if only he had paid to use a few square meters of Thai ocean, none of this would have occurred.  ????

 

Meanwhile, Thai authorities are looking at building more seasteads as a form of tourist attraction accommodation.  ????

[Nyezhov]

There is more to this story than meets the eye. Too bad no one here is perceptive enough to see that.

[steve2112]

if it's 12 miles off shore why is it anything to do with thailand, i think that's international waters

 

1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

• Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state.

[Richard Kuklinski]

4 minutes ago, steve2112 said:

if it's 12 miles off shore why is it anything to do with thailand, i think that's international waters

 

1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

• Territorial waters, or a territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22.2 km; 13.8 mi) from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state.

It's in Thailand's Exclusive Economic Zone, meaning they have some claim. 

 

An interestng question for this case would be, what if a foreigner wasn't involved?  What if a Thai had built it?

[MeePeeMai]

I would hate to be in his shoes right now.

[lemonjelly]

I see 2 options, try and get a lift/make a getaway  on a yacht, but no doubt the rozzers will be on the lookout for that, or make contact with the US embassy and get the diplomatic elements involved, we know that always goes down well...... haha

[steelepulse]

Perhaps Elvis has already left the building.

 

In another thread I also mentioned that maybe the organization that wrote their piece should have toned it down and been apologetic instead of pissing off the locals.

[LomSak27]

6 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

He's rich, squeeze him. 

BINGO

 

That is when the BIB actually get MOTIVATED!!  

[Nsp64]

5 hours ago, Nyezhov said:

There is more to this story than meets the eye. Too bad no one here is perceptive enough to see that.

So enlighten us captain smug.

If you can stop condescending long enough, share your wisdom with us dumb mortals

[kkerry]

If Thailand had submarines this would never have happened...  ????

[Old Croc]

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/this-floating-city-concept-is-one-way-to-cope-with-climate-change/ar-BBW083f

[Nyezhov]

46 minutes ago, Nsp64 said:

So enlighten us captain smug.

If you can stop condescending long enough, share your wisdom with us dumb mortals

Its General Smug to you. And if you have to ask, well then.....

[LeungKen]

 A post removed that was not in English removed

[Netease]

If he can get away with it, He could make a fortune by building more and renting them out or selling them, I think many people would like a couple of weeks stay on something like this, passing boats would call in to visit. Maybe this is a test run and if he gets away with it his real intention might be to build a billion dollar resort with boats and sea planes to take guests to nearby countries. I think he is just someone thinking out side of the box. Imagine being able to build resorts around the world without having to buy land or be under government control and Tax's. I think he would get a lot of investors. I can see why Thailand is scared of this possibility of opposition tourist resort

[puukao]

If this idiot is coming to Thailand and criticizing the government, well, that's just plain stupid.  They need to arrest him, get the US Embassy involved, figure out what he really said....and then deport.  If you do this in America, no worries, different country, different rules.   

 

farangs usually drink, bars, drink, bars, jump off roof... ok, ok, no problem

 

this guys is crying out for help anyhow....  

 

 

[metisdead]

An off topic defamatory post has been removed:

 

6) You will not post comments that could be reasonably construed as defamation or libel.

 

Defamation is the issuance of a statement about another person or business which causes that person to suffer harm. It does not have to be false to be defamatory. Libel is when the defamatory statement is published either in a drawing, painting, cinematography, film, picture or letters made visible by any means, or any other recording instruments, recording picture or letters, or by broadcasting or spreading picture, or by propagation by any other means. Defamation is both a civil and criminal charge in Thailand.

 

Edit:  A post containing a link to a foreign language news site has been removed as this is an English language forum. English is the only acceptable language anywhere on ThaiVisa including Classifieds, except within the Thai language forum, where of course using Thai is allowed. 

Edited April 18, 2019 by metisdead