Thailand threatens to execute “seasteaders”

By international treaty, a country’s territorial waters extend 12 miles, and this structure was anchored 13 miles off the nearest landmass

Has Thailand offered any legal justification for threatening its inhabitants?

If the inhabitants were routinely visiting Phuket without passing through customs, I can see how those actions might violate immigration laws. Is that the nature of the claims?

As I understand it, the EEZ relates only to access to resources (e.g. drilling rights, etc.) and not to “national sovereignty“ over activities within the zone. Activities on the surface are deemed to take place in international waters.

As an example, a murder 100 miles off the coast of France would not necessarily be subject to prosecution under French law, even if within the French EEZ. (Assuming the murder took place on a ship, it would NORMALLY be under the jurisdiction of the nation in which the ship is registered).

The most analogous situation would seem to be offshore oil rigs.

As to the US, federal statutory law does extend civil jurisdiction to those rigs, but I have no idea about criminal. Does Thailand have a similar statute, and does it extend to criminal law?

All interesting questions.