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Reuters

A senior Thai government official on Friday urged a US man and a Thai woman on the run from a possible death sentence for building an offshore “sea home” to fight the charge in court.
The two, Chad Elwartowski and his partner Nadia Summergirl, have been accused of violating Thai sovereignty by raising a small cabin on top of a big, weighted spar in what they say are international waters, 14 nautical miles off the west coast island of Phuket.
But Thailand says the structure is in its 200-mile exclusive economic zone.
“I urge them to get a lawyer to fight this case,” Supoj Rodruang Na Nongkhai, the deputy provincial governor of Phuket, said.
Thailand wants us killed: Bitcoin couple who lived in ocean shack
He said the two were believed to be in hiding in Thailand.
They have been charged under a law on the violation of sovereignty, which stipulates punishment of life in prison or death.

“Thailand will proceed with everything according to the law. We are not threatening them,” Supoj said.
The pair are part of a “seasteading” movement that advocates the building of floating communities in international waters beyond the bounds of any national laws.
But the Thai navy raided their home this week and authorities revoked Elwartowski’s visa and charged them.
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Elwartowski and Summergirl, whose real name is Supranee Thepdet, were not available for comment.
A group of entrepreneurs called Ocean Builders, which funded the construction of the floating home, said the two had done nothing wrong.
The group said in a statement the home was in a so-called contiguous zone of 12-24 nautical miles, where very limited Thai regulations applied, and they had no intention of setting up any independent state or “micro nation”.
“The two of them present neither a danger to Thai sovereignty nor the shipping routes,” the group said.




An official at the US embassy in Bangkok said it was providing appropriate help to Elwartowski, who had engaged a lawyer.
In a video posted last month detailing the raising of his prototype floating home, Elwartowski said 20 more similar houses would be up for sale to forge a community.
“I’m looking forward to the good rules that people create as a community, and coming up with smarter systems as opposed to the systems they have already,” he said.


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Thailand

Thailand says ‘seasteading’ couple Nadia Summergirl and Chad Elwartowski should fight charge in court

Supranee Thepdet and Chad Elwartowski. Photo: The Seasteading Institute Facebook

epa07513235 A handout photo made available by the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) shows an exterior view of a 'Seastead', a floating 'living platform' in the Andaman Sea, some 12 nautical miles off the coast of Phuket island, southern Thailand, 13 April 2019 (reissued 18 April 2019). According to media reports, Bitcoin entrepreneurs US national Chad Andrew Elwartowski and his Thai wife Supranee Thepdet, have gone into hiding as they fear that they may have to face death penalty after building a home on a platform in international waters close to Thailand's coast with the intent to set up a permanent outpost out of any state territories. EPA-EFE/ROYAL THAI NAVY HANDOUT HANDOUT EDITORIAL USE ONLY/NO SALES

Thai naval officers inspecting a 'seastead' in the Andaman Sea. Photo: EPA-EFE

Thailand wants us killed: Bitcoin couple Nadia Summergirl and Chad Elwartowski who lived in ocean shack

The Seasteading Institute Facebook

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The pair have been accused of violating Thai sovereignty by raising a small cabin on top of a big spar 14 nautical miles off the west coast island of Phuket
The Thai navy raided their home this week and authorities revoked the man’s visa


The pair have been accused of violating Thai sovereignty by raising a small cabin on top of a big spar 14 nautical miles off the west coast island of Phuket.


Thailand says ‘seasteading’ couple Nadia Summergirl and Chad Elwartowski should fight charge in court

The pair have been accused of violating Thai sovereignty by raising a small cabin on top of a big spar 14 nautical miles off the west coast island of Phuket The Thai navy raided their home this week and authorities revoked the man’s visa

The pair have been accused of violating Thai sovereignty by raising a small cabin on top of a big spar 14 nautical miles off the west coast island of Phuket

The Thai navy raided their home this week and authorities revoked the man’s visa