An American who set up a floating home off the Thailand coast could face the death penalty for violating the country's national sovereignty.

Chad Elwartowski, and his Thai partner Supranee Thepdet, had their remote residence in the Andaman Sea, near Phuket, raided by the Royal Thai Navy.

Mr Elwartowski is a pioneer on the "seasteading" movement, which promotes living in international waters to be free of any nation's laws.

However, they were accused by Thailand of an an offence potentially punishable by life imprisonment or death.

The couple said the sea-based structure, which they had been living on part-time, was anchored just over 12 miles from the coast, slightly outside Thailand's territorial waters

They were not on it when it was raided, and have since gone into hiding on the mainland.