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Topic: Thailand files complaint against Bitcoin Seasteader - page 5. (Read 1386 times)

member
Activity: 434
Merit: 31
minds.com/Wilikon
legendary
Activity: 3906
Merit: 1373
Might may not make right, but it seems to make what exists.

Too bad Elwar didn't do his thing further out to sea. As it is, many countries claim 200 miles out, even though they formally state only 12 miles.

This shows that no matter how peaceful or "tiny" you are, "they" always want control.

Elwar and others need to find some place that is far enough away from all lands that nobody will even notice them.

Cool
200 Nautical miles is the Exclusive economic zone (fishing rights, oil drilling....., no one else is allowed to commercially operate within)
12 Nautical miles is for most countries the Territorial sea extention, some still have the old 3 Miles or something else.
Crossing that line you are "in the country".

The US does have a 24 mile Contiguous zone. Internal waters, (lakes and rives) a country has total sovereignty.



What the Thai Navy did is a act of Piracy.

Quote
From the eighteenth century until the mid twentieth century, the territorial waters of the British Empire, the United States, France and many other nations were three nautical miles (5.6 km) wide.
Originally, this was the length of a cannon shot, hence the portion of an ocean that a sovereign state could defend from shore.


However, the reasons they say they did it might not be the official reasons. The official reasons just might have to do with interactions between Thailand and Elwar or Nadia that made them legally liable for other things. Wasn't the company that made the spar in Thailand? Isn't Nadia a Thai citizen? What else might there be?

Remember, Elwar's visa was revoked. The real reason might be something else entirely.

Cool
member
Activity: 270
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Any news updates on this?
sr. member
Activity: 1176
Merit: 297
Bitcoin © Maximalist
Might may not make right, but it seems to make what exists.

Too bad Elwar didn't do his thing further out to sea. As it is, many countries claim 200 miles out, even though they formally state only 12 miles.

This shows that no matter how peaceful or "tiny" you are, "they" always want control.

Elwar and others need to find some place that is far enough away from all lands that nobody will even notice them.

Cool
200 Nautical miles is the Exclusive economic zone (fishing rights, oil drilling....., no one else is allowed to commercially operate within)
12 Nautical miles is for most countries the Territorial sea extention, some still have the old 3 Miles or something else.
Crossing that line you are "in the country".

The US does have a 24 mile Contiguous zone. Internal waters, (lakes and rives) a country has total sovereignty.



What the Thai Navy did is a act of Piracy.

Quote
From the eighteenth century until the mid twentieth century, the territorial waters of the British Empire, the United States, France and many other nations were three nautical miles (5.6 km) wide.
Originally, this was the length of a cannon shot, hence the portion of an ocean that a sovereign state could defend from shore.


legendary
Activity: 3906
Merit: 1373
The below is from an email I received from The Seasteading Institute. The link address, below, doesn't have anything about the Thai problem (that I can see). Rather, it goes to a page that advertises Seasteading.


Floating Islands Leader Urges Leniency for Offshore Couple



Seasteaders Offer to Help Thailand With Rising Sea Levels

San Francisco, April 22, 2019 -- The chairman of the Seasteading Institute (https://www.seasteading.org/) Patri Friedman, urged compassion for a couple whose floating home was seized last week by the Thailand government, declaring that “their actions were no threat to Thai sovereignty” and “our organization works with governments and not against them”.

American Chad Elwartowski and his Thai partner Nadia Supranee Thepdet were not aboard when the Thai navy boarded the platform they had called home for several months. Thai authorities revoked the visa of Chad, an early bitcoin investor, and charged him and his partner with violating Thai sovereignty by floating the cabin 14 nautical miles off the west coast of the Thai island of Phuket.

Friedman said he “was shocked and saddened last week by media reports that this couple was charged with treason – punishable in Thailand by death or life imprisonment – simply because no one had filed paperwork for the floating home. This is like charging someone with a capital crime for not registering their car.”

He added “For Chad and Nadia, it was the realization of a romantic dream to live openly and peacefully on the ocean...I am deeply relieved to see that officials are considering dropping the death penalty.”

Friedman, grandson of Nobel Prize-winning economist Milton Friedman, suggested instead that “Thai authorities should follow the lead of the United Nations, who recommend floating cities be part of the global community's new arsenal of tools in the fight against climate change.”

Using statistics from a recent United Nations High-Level conference on Sustainable Floating Cities in New York in early April, Friedman pointed to the Thai capital: “Seasteading concepts can help cities like Bangkok which are increasingly at risk of flooding. Some parts of the city are sinking by around two centimetres a year, while sea levels in the Gulf of Thailand are rising.”

He concluded that “we look forward to future partnerships with states, NGOs, and communities to test new ideas and solutions for all. We would be honored and delighted to share our research with the Thai government, as sustainable floating cities are a key tool to address climate change and other 21st century challenges.”

About The Seasteading Institute

The Seasteading Institute (TSI) is a United States 501(c)(3) non-profit. Our mission is to enable seasteading communities – floating cities – where pioneers can peacefully test new laws and political systems and inspire change in governments around the world.  We work on this mission through research and education with individuals, organizations, and governments. Our current main initiative is sustainable seasteading through facilitating the creation of the first floating city.

As a non-profit organization dedicated to the entire seasteading movement, our role is not to build seasteads, but to empower others to do so. Our Floating City Project envisions a model wherein a nation and a company will establish a public-private partnership to construct and operate a floating city with significant legal autonomy that functions as an integrated and efficient product to meet the needs of citizens. This project builds on over a decade of engineering and legal research, political and maritime industry diplomacy, and building a community of aspiring seasteaders.
For press inquiries contact [email protected].
 
Seasteading Institute Founder’s Full Statement On Peaceful Platform Near Thailand

I founded The Seasteading Institute in 2008 to enable seasteading communities – floating cities – where pioneers can peacefully test new laws and political systems and inspire change in governments around the world. Our decade of legal research advocates for a variety of strategies within current international law, such as flagged vessels, and partnering with innovative and progressive governments.

A few months ago, a diverse group of activists, engineers, and writers, aided by Thai shipyards, built and launched a platform from Thailand. It was anchored outside territorial waters, as verified by GPS records. This remarkable achievement in affordable ocean technology was done in partnership with Thai shipyards and could help humanity adapt to rising sea levels.

The platform’s first two occupants were a cosmopolitan couple, Chad Elwartowski of America and Nadia Supranee Thepdet of Thailand. For Chad and Nadia, it was the realization of a romantic dream to live openly and peacefully on the ocean, where they released videos of their adventure.

I was shocked and saddened last week by media reports that this couple was charged with treason – punishable in Thailand by death or life imprisonment – simply because no one had filed paperwork for the floating home. This is like charging someone with a capital crime for not registering their car.

I urge compassion for these two brave seasteaders, as their actions were no threat to Thai sovereignty. I am deeply relieved to see that officials are considering dropping the death penalty. This is in Thailand’s best interests, as by threatening a harmless couple with death for a minor infraction, Thailand would only be threatening their own tourism industry.

Instead, Thai authorities should follow the lead of the United Nations, who recommend floating cities be part of the global community's new arsenal of tools in the fight against climate change. Seasteading concepts can help cities like Bangkok which are increasingly at risk of flooding. Some parts of the city are sinking by around two centimetres a year, while sea levels in the Gulf of Thailand are rising.

Our mission is to help humanity by settling the blue frontier, and so our organization works with governments, not against them. We support following international and local laws and look forward to future partnerships with states, NGOs, and communities to test new ideas and solutions for all. We would be honored and delighted to share our research with the Thai government.

While we don’t have enough specifics on this incident to comment on the various legal claims, we do know the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea. Beyond territorial waters, the world’s oceans are the “common heritage of humanity”, not some unclaimed free-for-all. But neither should they be a death sentence.

Rather, sustainable floating cities are a key tool to address climate change and other 21st century challenges. Please join me in spreading the message that humanity needs its seasteaders in action – not in jail, in hiding, or in the grave.

Patri Friedman,
Founder and Chairman of the Board,
The Seasteading Institute
San Francisco, California, April 22, 2019.

P.s. Some news reports have erroneously stated that our organization directly represents those involved. We wish to clarify that, to best support seasteading in general, we don’t represent or speak on behalf of any particular individual.

Additionally, while we publish general research on international law for educational purposes, local regulations, precedents, and interpretations vary around the world. We do not, and cannot, provide legal advice or representation, and recommend with the utmost vigor that anyone attempting anything like seasteading obtain independent legal counsel.


Cool
legendary
Activity: 3906
Merit: 1373
Might may not make right, but it seems to make what exists.

Too bad Elwar didn't do his thing further out to sea. As it is, many countries claim 200 miles out, even though they formally state only 12 miles.

This shows that no matter how peaceful or "tiny" you are, "they" always want control.

Elwar and others need to find some place that is far enough away from all lands that nobody will even notice them.

Cool
hero member
Activity: 1764
Merit: 584
https://i.imgur.com/aQX7O7S.gifv

GREAT NEWS! I got contact from Chad Elwartowski (AKA Elwar) via PM earlier this morning notifying me that he and his girlfriend have been able to escape to nearby Vietnam via boat.

Thank goodness the Thai authorities didn't managed to catch up with them. Hoping they to get out of Vietnam soon.


A yacht - or a cruise ship. I remember watching a documentary about a family living in a yacht, a couple and a son and daughter. I think that setup is much easier to move around.

Maybe Elwar and his people lived on boats for a while. I think he wants to make something more permanent.


Perhaps. That gulf does seem to be the best place to start constructing in that area.
legendary
Activity: 3318
Merit: 2008
First Exclusion Ever
https://i.imgur.com/aQX7O7S.gifv

GREAT NEWS! I got contact from Chad Elwartowski (AKA Elwar) via PM earlier this morning notifying me that he and his girlfriend have been able to escape to nearby Vietnam via boat. They are in good spirits, but still are not out of the woods yet as they still need to leave the region for fear of local intergovernmental relations leading to his potential extradition back to Thailand. As a result for their own safety they will not be posting again until they are home, but he wanted me to thank all of you on his behalf for your kind words and well wishes, and said he hopes to be back on the forum posting soon. He didn't give me much other information for obvious reasons, but at least we know he has made it out of the country, which is very good news. Hopefully we can help bring awareness to this issue so others do not find themselves in a similar situation in the future. Godspeed Elwar.
copper member
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Slots Enthusiast & Expert
Yeah, it would not work if he is still on the territorial sea. I feel sorry for him though even I didn't know him.

I think the seasteader project could be done if its build on top of the international sea. However, if it's too far, then we have difficulties to go in/out for supplies.
sr. member
Activity: 994
Merit: 302
They've cancelled their visas. Thankfully they've not managed to catch them but it now seems their in hiding with little options of leaving that goddamn cuntry.

the thing that bothers me is that he was very open about the whole project. its not like it was a secret, this was months in the making, and pretty well documented on social media. at any time the Thia government could of said, look, you cant do that here.

instead, they wait till its up, send a naval warship and charge them with a crime that can carry the death penalty or life imprisonment?


True, it's like they wanted to "make an example" out of him from the very beginning. Makes one wonder if the Thai gov't came up with this idea on their own. We'll just have to see if they benefit from this. I mean, it took the Ecuadorians an IMF loan to sell Assange.

I think the error was branding it as "seasteading to form a microstate". Could have publicized it as testing a solution for housing in flood-prone areas or places vulnerable to rising sea levels (which is a hip topic). The guns could be justified as piracy protection. But then again Elwar seem to be a guy that wears his heart on his sleeves.
copper member
Activity: 2996
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A private military is the only way to show these governments you mean business.  Without one they will just continue to walk over anyone attempting to break away from their control.
He apparently did something similar to just this:
If your not protected by any country can't a group of pirates just overtake your seastead and there is nothing you can do about it.

That's the thing. We have no country preventing us from doing something about it. Pirates thrive due to merchant ships not being allowed to have guns.

We have guns. With more (bigger ones) coming.

I don't particularly think this is a good idea, and this may have been why the Thai government feels threatened. A "private" military originating out of a Seastead community is not going to win any kind of armed conflict with the Thailand military, that is very modest compared to most other countries.

Having sufficient weapons to defend against pirates is acceptable. But I think having weapons that approaches something that resembles any kind of military is probably not going to end well for you.

I don't know how many weapons Elwar had, or if this was even why the Thai government doesn't like what he is doing, but in any case, I don't think his intention was to harm the Thai government, and I don't think any kind of jailing is appropriate for what he did, and the death penalty is most certainly not appropriate.
legendary
Activity: 3906
Merit: 1373
All that this shows is, you aren't strong enough to protect yourself when you are alone.

So, you are strong when you have a government that joins you with others so that you can protect each other.

The result (history shows us) is that the government craftily and slyly turns against the people that it was designed to protect.

Cool
sr. member
Activity: 1988
Merit: 275
First thing in the morning and this is the first Bitcoin news that showed up in my feed... https://www.ccn.com/rich-bitcoin-trader-risks-death-penalty-for-building-home-on-the-sea/amp

I remember there was a thread here talking about this same project. Also IIRC they were still within Thailand's territorial waters. Do you think the government would push through the complaint and actually arrest the couple?

I think this case would hamper further seasteading attempts since they would all have to at least be assembled near the coast before being dragged into international waters. Governments can follow Thailand's example and file complaints while projects are still under construction.

One of Elwar's threads: https://bitcointalk.org/index.php?topic=5095773.0;all

That's too bad. Its a shame Thailand is cracking down on this because it could be an economic boon to them. I suppose control is more important than their economy though. I hope they know how bad they are making themselves look by taking this move. Also generally it is not a good idea to threaten the lives of people in a community who are smart, rich, and resourceful. If they go too far they are going to create a self fulfilling prophesy and make themselves a target.

Read that thread before and considered it as a great news. Actually, I don't see anything wrong with what they are doing. Death penalty for such act? And considering that they obtained their necessary permits. What is wrong with this country? They should settle the situation in a more humane way.
legendary
Activity: 1946
Merit: 1055
If he hasn’t been arrested yet, and he and his wife have a valid passport, they should flea the country.

In general, in order to get extradited from another country, the alleged crime in question needs to also be illegal in the deporting country and also, many countries will not extradite if the death penalty is being considered.

Edit: it looks like they are currently in hiding. The Thailand navy reportedly raided the structure today (Thursday), but no one was there. Elwars visa was apparently revoked. Hopefully they have made it out of the country. 

History in the making here.

Stay safe Elwar.
 
legendary
Activity: 3472
Merit: 1724
A private military is the only way to show these governments you mean business.  Without one they will just continue to walk over anyone attempting to break away from their control.

A United Nations peacekeeping mission would get sent on your way if you were to be treated as a credible threat (ie. were you to demonstrate you actually 'mean business).
hero member
Activity: 1218
Merit: 534
This is our very own Elwar. I very much hope he makes it out of there safely...

It's depressing for the whole seasteading movement. The dream is/was to be able to have many tiny sovereign seasteads ("let a thousand nations bloom"), but this makes me think that we may in practice need larger, more defensible seasteads along with guaranteed-autonomy agreements with governments. Or maybe someone needs to create a large private military that is a credible threat against countries like Thailand, and sell "invasion insurance" to seasteads.

Also, I thought there were reports from the Seasteading Institute that Elwar had gotten permission from Thailand.

I remember that Blue Frontiers had some sort of an agreement with French Polynesia; I don't know about Thailand.

A private military is the only way to show these governments you mean business.  Without one they will just continue to walk over anyone attempting to break away from their control.
copper member
Activity: 2996
Merit: 2374
If he hasn’t been arrested yet, and he and his wife have a valid passport, they should flea the country.

In general, in order to get extradited from another country, the alleged crime in question needs to also be illegal in the deporting country and also, many countries will not extradite if the death penalty is being considered.

Edit: it looks like they are currently in hiding. The Thailand navy reportedly raided the structure today (Thursday), but no one was there. Elwars visa was apparently revoked. Hopefully they have made it out of the country. 
legendary
Activity: 3906
Merit: 1373
Any news from him on how he's doing? It's disappointing what the Thai government did to him.

Hopefully the same thing don't happen to the project in Polynesia. That is a far ambitious project. If the government end up seizing it I'd be pissed.

This is why I would rather do it by boat. What's it going to take to drag that thing far enough away from Thailand so it won't bother them or anyone? Also, I thought there were reports from the Seasteading Institute that Elwar had gotten permission from Thailand.

Cool

A yacht - or a cruise ship. I remember watching a documentary about a family living in a yacht, a couple and a son and daughter. I think that setup is much easier to move around.

Maybe Elwar and his people lived on boats for a while. I think he wants to make something more permanent.

I think he thought he had checked into the Thai government thing before he did it where he did it. Perhaps Thailand area waters are the best suited for Elwar's project. Elevations of the oceans can be found here - https://maps.ngdc.noaa.gov/viewers/bathymetry/ - in the event he wants to move. However, there may be reasons that make other suitable elevations to be just as hostile as Thailand, only in other ways - like storms or shipping routes or other governments, etc.

Many foreign (to the USA) countries formally agree with the 12-mile internationally accepted territorial waters limit, but in reality support a 200-mile limit which was common in the past.

Cool
legendary
Activity: 2030
Merit: 1569
CLEAN non GPL infringing code made in Rust lang
Death sentence for a Seastead??  Holy shit talk about strict laws.

Perhaps, since Thailand is a Monarchy ruled by a military Junta. I'm not sure a house on a stick warrants such a high penalty, but they might see it as someone defying the "king's sovereignty" or such...

I told him an actual ship was better, it moves, can easily go into international waters... Oh well.
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