Police open door to no death penalty charge over Phuket seastead case

[rooster59]

Police open door to no death penalty charge over Phuket seastead case

By The Phuket News

 

Vice Governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai urged sensitivity in following due process in the case. Photo: PR Dept
 

PHUKET: The police investigator tasked with the Royal Thai Navy complaint against American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Supranee Thepdet over the ‘seastead’ built south of Phuket told The Phuket News today (Apr 19) that he will not move to charge the couple under Section 119 – which may incur the death penalty – if he finds no evidence that the structure threatens national security.
 

Lt Col Siriwat Inyim, Deputy Chief of the Wichit Police told The Phuket News this evening (Apr 19), “This is my case to investigate, and I have received a complaint asking police to press charges under Section 119 of the Criminal Code.”

 

“However, although I have yet to conclude my investigation, if I do not find any evidence that this seastead threatens national security, I will not ask the Public Prosecutor to move ahead with that charge,” Col Siriwat said.

Full story: https://www.thephuketnews.com/police-open-door-to-no-death-penalty-charge-over-phuket-seastead-case-71151.php#omlD3z4TBMyZKeQH.97

 

-- © Copyright Phuket News 2019-04-20

 

[observer90210]

As said before, why not start rather to hunt down those who agreed to build the structure  ?

[BritManToo]

More xenophobic nonsense from the Thai authorities.

How can a platform built in international waters be a national security issue?

Why issue warrants to arrest two people that stayed a few weeks in it and had nothing to do with it's construction?

[KMartinHandyman]

A sensible statement from this guy. It’s his case to investigate and decide if charges are warranted. So far he thinks no security threat.

[lopburi3]

 

Quote

No one has yet created a structure on the high seas that has been recognized as a sovereign state. 

Wiki quote - but that is the idea - which would open all kinds of issues - much beyond tax as such.

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, rooster59 said:

 if he finds no evidence that the structure threatens national security

everything threatens national security just ask the military and the government

[Old Croc]

Now making news internationally.

Officialdom making threats to use the death penalty against foreigners for relatively minor or perceived offences is again putting Thailand in a bad light with the rest of the world. 

Where do these uniformed fools come from?

[asiaexpat]

Another total embarrassment for Thailand. Over reaction without investigation. The structure could certainly be a problem for shipping lanes but a simple request to remove it could have been made first. Now the world knows how the Thai government handles international situations (poorly.)

[darksidedog]

Farcical. Once again rushing blindly into a situation, deciding and erroneously decreeing who the guilty parties are, threatening draconian penalties for petty issues, all the while revealing themselves for the paranoid brain dead idiots that they are. One more kick in the balls for Thailand's super precious image. 

[sammieuk1]

How lenient can a country get removing the threat of death ????

[sammieuk1]

4 minutes ago, darksidedog said:

Farcical. Once again rushing blindly into a situation, deciding and erroneously decreeing who the guilty parties are, threatening draconian penalties for petty issues, all the while revealing themselves for the paranoid brain dead idiots that they are. One more kick in the balls for Thailand's super precious image. 

Like the way you concentrated on their good points????

[rooster59]

Wanted American quizzed over  ‘sea home’ off Phuket coast

By THE NATION WEEKEND

 

 

IMMIGRATION police have questioned an American bitcoin investor who set up a floating structure off the coast of Phuket and is facing criminal charges related to the waterborne homestead, deputy national police spokesman Colonel Krissana Pattanacharoen said on Friday.

 

However, Krissana declined to elaborate and the couple’s whereabouts are not known. Chad Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai girlfriend, Suprenee Thepdet (also known as Nadia Summergirl), erected the structure – inspired by the “seasteading” movement – on February 2. It is to the southeast of Koh Racha Yai, about 12 nautical miles from mainland.

 

The Royal Thai Navy and Phuket Maritime personnel boarded the structure last Sunday, saying it violates the law and poses a navigational hazard. Elwartowski had posted on his Facebook page on Tuesday that he and his partner were in hiding and feared for their lives, as they were being hunted down by the authorities. He later deleted the post. On Wednesday, Immigration police revoked his visa and put him on a blacklist.

 

The United States embassy in Bangkok is providing assistance to the two.

 

The embassy is aware of the reports that Thai authorities have charged Elwartowski, said Robert Post, its public affairs officer, on Friday. 

 

“The embassy is providing all appropriate assistance and understands Elwartowski has engaged an attorney,” Post told The Nation Weekend.

 

Threatening sovereignty

 

The couple is facing charges of threatening the Kingdom’s sovereignty following the boarding of the structure last weekend.

 

Phuket deputy governor Supoj Rotreuang Na Nongkhai was preparing information to present to the embassy if it required further details. While Elwartowski has claimed that his waterborne home is outside Thailand’s maritime boundaries, the authorities have insisted that its existence violated Article 119 of the Criminal Code because Thailand’s territorial rights were disturbed. 

 

According to law firm Siam Legal, Article 119 of the Criminal Code, which covers “intent to cause injury to the nation”, states: “Whoever does any act with intent 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 punished with death or imprisonment for life.” 

 

The authorities are entitled to prosecute the couple as the structure is within the Kingdom’s territory, Supoj said. “Harm was done because they had invited people to set up [additional] structures and, so far, 14 people [have shown an] interest to join them,” he said, referring to the seasteading movement in which people seek to establish floating communities in international waters.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30367993

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2019-04-20

[NCC1701A]

"American Bitcoin investor posts 'proof' that micro-nation home he built in sea is not in Thai territory as he hides from police after being warned he could face the death penalty"

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6939879/American-Bitcoin-investor-posts-proof-micro-nation-home-built-sea-not-Thai-waters.html

[steelepulse]

3 minutes ago, NCC1701A said:

"American Bitcoin investor posts 'proof' that micro-nation home he built in sea is not in Thai territory as he hides from police after being warned he could face the death penalty"

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6939879/American-Bitcoin-investor-posts-proof-micro-nation-home-built-sea-not-Thai-waters.html

Only problem with this defense it's in the economic zone which does not fall under the 12 nm rule.  Pretty easy for the Thai gov't to prove that they were exploiting this for monetary gain.  That being said, mountain and molehills come to mind.  Just knock the thing down, create a new artificial reef, charge this guy the cost of doing so and be done with it.

[scorecard]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

More xenophobic nonsense from the Thai authorities.

How can a platform built in international waters be a national security issue?

Why issue warrants to arrest two people that stayed a few weeks in it and had nothing to do with it's construction?

 Why not spend time and resources on subjects which need much more urgent attention?

Edited April 20, 2019 by scorecard

[meinphuket]

What a load of nonsense, the death penalty would never be applied in this or the Nai Yang plane photographers. 

[BritManToo]

19 minutes ago, scorecard said:

 Why not spend time and resources on subjects which need much more urgent attention?

I can answer that one.

There is nothing more important to the Thai authorities than harassing white men trying to live in (or around) Thailand.

[owl sees all]

3 hours ago, Old Croc said:

Now making news internationally.

Officialdom making threats to use the death penalty against foreigners for relatively minor or perceived offences is again putting Thailand in a bad light with the rest of the world. 

Where do these uniformed fools come from?

Mostly from well-do families with money and connections.

[NoBrainer]

Looks to me like he needs to build his Seasted(s) 202 Miles offshore, not 12 miles.

[RBOP]

Either way, they can expect to spend many years in a Thai jail while courts figure out this unprecedented case if caught. 

[Xaos]

If a floating box far offshore is a threat to Thailand national security, then its pretty weak ????????????

[OnTheRun]

2 hours ago, owl sees all said:

Mostly from well-do families with money and connections.

With a huge sense of entitlement and a common sense bypass.

[RBOP]

Just imagine if Thai authorities allowed seasteaders to set up micro nations surrounding Thailand at 12 miles distance.  Casinos galore? What else?  

[Krataiboy]

Time to roll out those mothballed Chinese submarines!

[miamiman123]

Thai authorities years ago made that mistake once, letting people build those structures on the canals or klongs ...they have learned their lesson and will not allow that mistake to happen again. 

 

[connda]

So over-the-top.  Simply tow the structure to shore, impound it, and issue a warning, perhaps a fine, demand a wai.  The couple are out 150k USD.  That's a message then some.

 

But no - instead - "Life in prison or death!!!"  

Eventually this issue will show up in International court as it must.  But given Thailand's initial "Death to Seasteaders" stance, I doubt that the seasteading couple has any desire to be apprehended a then given a show trial for breaking a law that was dredged up for the occasion - especially when the couple thought they were not breaking any law at all as they were in international waters.  So, no intent.  Doubt that will matter when TPTB are screaming for foreigner's blood.

 

Once again: So over-the-top.  Simply tow the structure to shore, impound it, and issue a warning, perhaps a fine, demand a wai.  The couple are out 150k USD.  The message has been sent.

So, why the histrionics? 

[connda]

4 hours ago, NCC1701A said:

"American Bitcoin investor posts 'proof' that micro-nation home he built in sea is not in Thai territory as he hides from police after being warned he could face the death penalty"

 

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6939879/American-Bitcoin-investor-posts-proof-micro-nation-home-built-sea-not-Thai-waters.html

The trials and tribulations of establishing a frontier domicile on lands historically coveted by a native people - history show that one should not be surprised if one is pulled out of their new home, painted in honey, and staked over the top of an ant hill.

[LawrenceN]

Jeez, simmer down everybody. Did you all read the same story I did? I read about a guy taking a moderate tone, stepping back from the most extreme penalty. He seems to understand that Thai authorities are unlikely to find a security threat. Under Section 119, Thailand could impose the death penalty if they find (hypothetically) the couple were planning to re-supply Chinese submarines for an invasion of the Andaman coast. Everyone knows that's ridiculous, and that's what they expect to learn. The authorities seem to understand that this hapless pair got in over their heads, and are extending a way out.

[Deez]

5 hours ago, asiaexpat said:

Now the world knows how the Thai government handles international situations (poorly.)

They handle domestic ones poorly as well

[KonaRain]

6 hours ago, BritManToo said:

More xenophobic nonsense from the Thai authorities.

How can a platform built in international waters be a national security issue?

Why issue warrants to arrest two people that stayed a few weeks in it and had nothing to do with it's construction?

Well put.. they sound paranoid..

good point about the 'tenants'

Aloha