Authorities in the Thai resort city of Pattaya have stepped up security as they prepare to welcome thousands of sailors and marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln after more than 270 consecutive days at sea. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier sailed past Singapore over the weekend on its way back to the US after a lengthy deployment in the Middle East as part of the US war against Iran. It left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before the US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began six months ago.
Reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on board, including attempted suicides, have made headlines in the US, provoking criticism of Donald Trump’s war against Iran. Pattaya’s mayor, Poramase Ngampiches, said the carrier would dock just after midnight on Wednesday (about 5pm GMT on Tuesday) at Laem Chabang port. About 40 buses have been laid on to transport the sailors to Pattaya and back in staggered groups before the carrier departs on Sunday.
After meeting US officials on Monday, Poramase said that service members would be banned from certain recreational activities such as parasailing and marijuana use. Medical cannabis was legalised in Thailand in 2022 and dispensaries have become common in Thai cities. Once a sleepy fishing village, Pattaya was transformed by the Vietnam war in the 1960s, when US soldiers on leave began coming for rest and recreation.
The city has since become hugely popular with foreign tourists, known for its beaches and a nightlife scene that has long drawn scrutiny over sex tourism. Poramase told there had been a recent crackdown on sex workers but denied this was linked to the US arrivals. Government officials are warning local businesses not to overcharge US sailors, and there would be a greater police presence in popular areas along Pattaya Beach and the city’s Walking Street, Poramase said.
The city’s police chief, Anek Srathongyoo, said law enforcements agencies had been ordered to step up security measures to prevent undesirable situations. He said that if any US service members broke Thai law, they would be prosecuted accordingly. Local business owners feeling the tourism slump from the Iran war are eager for the new arrivals.
A banner hung over a local bar near a beach reading: “Welcome all US military personnel. Thank you for your service.” Bualuang Ponok, a bar employee, said she had seen US service members during past visits, but she didn’t expect many of them would be spending. Earlier in August, the usually Asia-based USS George Washington relieved the long-deployed Lincoln in the Middle East.
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