Controversial Floating Seastead Towed Away by Thai Navy

The Navy has towed away the controversial seastead from its location in the Andaman Seam, southeast of Phuket Island. Three ships were deployed in the mission. HTMS Sriracha, a large patrol ship, served as the command centre while HTMS Mun Nai, a landing craft utility, carried the octagonal fibreglass residential part of the seastead to Phuket Deep Sea Port. The operation engaged naval officers, construction experts, divers and employees of the company which had installed it to ensure the structure.

Officials were also planning to seek court arrest warrants for the US-Thai couple who had built it and anchored it 14 nautical miles off the coast. The floating house was in violation of Thai sovereignty. The couple had announced on social media that they were independent of the judiciary or law of any state, including Thailand and invited other people also interested in building similar residences to what would apparently become an independent community.