The crew on the USS Abraham Lincoln had been at sea for 286 days in a deployment whose length had raised alarm amid reports of food shortages and mental health challenges. President Donald Trump rejected these concerns. The USS Abraham Lincoln carrier group, which was deployed in November 2025 and was involved in the U.S. naval blockade and combat operations in the Iran war, arrived in the Thai eastern province of Chon Buri early Wednesday for a five-day rest and relaxation stop.
Petersen Jr. docked at Sriracha, also in Chon Buri, while the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls arrived at Map Ta Phut in neighboring Rayong province. Pattaya city officials met with U.S. Navy representatives to discuss arrangements that included behavioral guidelines for its crew.
Pattaya has a reputation for sex tourism although it has been rebranded recently as a more family-friendly destination with golf courses, malls and outdoor activities such as water skiing and skydiving. The USS Lincoln’s commanding officer has warned service members against using prostitutes, according to MS NOW, citing someone familiar with the matter. Paying for sex is a punishable offense under Article 134 of the Uniform Code of Military Justice, the legal framework for the U.S. armed forces.
Service members have been told that any infraction of the rules would get the maximum punishment, according to the outlet. Banners in restaurants and billboards in the city welcomed the American personnel and the Bangkok Post reported that many had started exploring Pattaya on Wednesday night, heading to the famous Walking Street. More buses arrived in the city on Thursday from Laem Chabang where the Lincoln is docked with some U.S. personnel chartering vehicles for the next three to four days, according to the publication.
Video posted to Instagram showed the sailors exploring the neighborhood, prompting comments from Thai users discussing everything from their short hair cuts to their clothes. "They look like rich kids who just wanted to go to war.” Another video posted to TikTok w,hich as of Thursday had been liked over 2,000 times, shows a U.S. serviceman dancing wildly in a night club, prompting many comments. Everyone is making good money everywhere.
Keep it up, Pattaya!” said one user comment. Other social media posts on Instagram showed sailors relaxing such as one showing a group in a swimming pool next to a bar, with another image showing them in their full uniform. Local media reported that the influx would deliver an economic boost to the city and highlighted that the visit of around 5,000 personnel was good natured.
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