Apr 20, · By Reuters BANGKOK — The Thai navy on Saturday boarded the floating cabin of a fugitive U.S. bitcoin trader and his Thai girlfriend, both prominent members of the . Apr 20, · To support truly independent journalism, please consider making a contribution or taking a subscription. Thailand ’s navy has boarded and seized the floating home of a fugitive US bitcoin . Apr 20, · Friday 19 April The “First Seasteaders”, American bitcoin trader Chad Elwartowski and his girlfriend Nadia Supranee Thepdet, may face the Author: Victoria Gagliardo-Silver.
A bitcoin trader and his girlfriend
Bitcoin Trader, Girlfriend Could Face Death Penalty for Building 'Sea Home' Off Coast ThailandYou can find our Community Guidelines in full here. There are no Independent Premium comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts. There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts.
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Please enter your email address Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address.
Thanks for signing up to the News newsletter. The Independent would like to keep you informed about offers, events and updates by email, please tick the box if you would like to be contacted Read our full mailing list consent terms here. Show 0 comments. Comments Share your thoughts and debate the big issues. Already registered? Log in. Elwartowski had taken part in videos and podcasts promoting the use of "seasteads," frequently mentioning how he was unaffected by policy decisions and taxation laws set by governments.
The "seasteading" movement, which began in earnest in in California with the financial backing of Silicon Valley billionaire Peter Thiel, has been likened to the phenomenon of micronations for its vision of establishing sovereign communities outside the control of existing states.
Ocean Builders, the company behind Elwartowski's seastead, said in a statement on its website that it had constructed the home, the first in what it hoped would be an opening round of 20 units.
The couple were "volunteers excited about the prospect of living free", it added. Insisting the six-meter platform was 13 nautical miles from Thailand and in international waters, the company accused the Thai authorities of acting as "judge jury and executioner of the historic very first seastead. The Seasteading Institute, the organization backed by Thiel, is currently in negotiations with the government of French Polynesia to build a floating city in a semi-autonomous "seazone" within its territorial waters.
The couple could face life imprisonment or the death penalty under the country's Immigration Act, but authorities they are unaware if the pair are still in the country or its waters. The U. Embassy in Bangkok told Reuters that Elwartowski had engaged a lawyer and was being provided with appropriate assistance. According to Ocean Builders, the concept of "seasteading" has been discussed for years but the cabin Elwartowski and Supranee lived on was the first attempt at living in what it described as international waters.
Other groups, such as the Seasteading Institute, which was originally backed by PayPal co-founder Peter Thiel, have sought to build floating cities with the cooperation of host nations. IE 11 is not supported. For an optimal experience visit our site on another browser.
In my opinion you are not right. I can defend the position.
I think, that you commit an error. Let's discuss. Write to me in PM, we will communicate.