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After spending more than 200 consecutive days at sea, the US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, carrying around 5,000 sailors and Marines, is set to dock in Thailand’s tourist city of Pattaya on Wednesday.
The arrival is expected to boost the local economy, but authorities have stepped up efforts to prevent sex workers from targeting visiting US service members.
According to The Independent, police have increased patrols along Pattaya’s main beach and nightlife areas ahead of the carrier’s arrival. Around 40 to 50 people suspected of engaging in sex work were reportedly detained on Sunday.
The USS Abraham Lincoln will dock at Laem Chabang port alongside two support vessels, giving its crew an opportunity to rest and enjoy shore leave after more than 200 days at sea.
Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyu said on Monday that authorities were making every effort to prevent sex workers from soliciting customers in public places.
Although prostitution is illegal under Thai law, sex workers remain visible in major tourist destinations such as Bangkok and Pattaya.
The Independent reported that the USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego last November and was later deployed to the Middle East to support military operations amid the conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
The carrier has reportedly set a modern-era record for the length of time spent continuously at sea. However, concerns have emerged over the crew’s mental health and living conditions during the prolonged deployment. Two military news outlets reported this month on suicide attempts and declining morale aboard the vessel.
Pattaya officials expect the visit to provide a short-term boost to the local economy. Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated that each US service member could spend between 1,000 and 3,000 Thai baht per day, depending on how long they stay ashore and whether they spend nights in the city.
Not all crew members will go ashore at the same time, as shore leave is typically arranged in rotations.
However, some of the spending could also benefit Pattaya’s controversial entertainment sector. The city has a long-standing reputation for sex tourism, with the FBI describing it a decade ago as one of the world’s major sex-tourism destinations.
Pipatpong Phakphare, an associate professor at Bangkok University’s School of Humanities and Tourism Management, warned that an influx of customers could increase the risk of sexually transmitted infections. He also cited reports of stress and suicide attempts among the ship’s crew as another concern.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Chonburi Tourism Federation, said the overall economic impact would depend on where the sailors spend their time, noting that some may travel to Bangkok.
Lisa Hamilton, president of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association, welcomed the carrier’s arrival, saying the city’s businesses had been struggling this year.
“I have lived in Pattaya for more than 20 years, but I have never seen a year as slow as this one,” she said.
