PHUKET, April 22 (TNA) – The Royal Thai Navy started the operation
to move a floating platform, anchored off Racha Yai Island in Phuket to the shore.
The structure will be handed over to the Phuket police as
evidence in a criminal case against an American-Thai couple related to their
seasteading project.
Three ships – HTMS Sriracha, HTMS Mannai and HTMS Rin are
used in the operation to tow the structure to the Phuket Deep Sea Port, said Rear
Admiral Vithanarat Kochaseni, Deputy Commander of the Royal
Thai Navy Third Area Command.
He said officials would
remove the octagon-shaped platform and it would be carried by HTMS Mannai while
HTMS Rin would drag the structure’s floating base ashore.
The operation is expected to take about a half day.
The structure belongs to American man Chad Elwartowski and
his Thai girlfriend, Supranee Thepdet, who sought to be pioneers in the
“seasteading” movement, which promotes living in international waters to be
free of any nation’s laws.
Investigators have gathered evidence and will submit it to
the attorney-general and seek the arrest warrants for the couple, who are in hiding.
According to the police, Elwartowski’s mobile phone signal
was detected near the Thai-Malaysian border. (TNA)
