After nearly 300 days of living at sea and in a war zone, the sailors of the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln were finally able to go ashore to shop and have fun in Pattaya.
After 286 days of continuous operations at sea, the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln carrying nearly 5,000 sailors and marines docked at Laem Chabang port, eastern Thailand, on the morning of September 2 for resupply, maintenance and for the crew to rest.
Wearing backpacks, carrying travel bags and wearing civilian clothes, the sailors smiled and waved to the group of Americans and foreign residents in Pattaya who came to welcome them. "It feels great," said a sailor who had just stepped off the ship amid enthusiastic applause and cheers.
The Lincoln plays an important role in the US airstrike campaign against Iran and the effort to blockade Iranian seaports launched by President Donald Trump. According to Acting Minister of the Navy Hung Cao, the ship has operated for more than 200 days in war zones and performed more than 10,000 sorties.
The ship's unusually long deployment, along with reports of a lack of fresh food and an incident where a sailor fell into the sea, have caused many military families and Democratic lawmakers to question the US navy.
The US Navy admits that long-term aircraft carrier deployments cause many difficulties and pressures, but affirms that the food supply is always guaranteed. In addition, a small number of cases of mental health problems were treated promptly and no loss of life was reported.
"What this aircraft carrier strike group has achieved is truly historic. I am extremely proud of the professionalism and capacity of each member in recent campaigns," Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group No. 3, whose nucleus is the Lincoln aircraft carrier, said on September 2.
The Lincoln left its base in San Diego in November 2025. Despite visiting Guam in December 2025 and Oman briefly in July, the US Navy said the visit to Thailand was the first full rest port visit since the ship began its mission.
Also docking in Thailand with the Lincoln is the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. and the cruiser USS Robert Smalls, both of which were also deployed in the Middle East.
"I missed a lot of occasions with my family, from birthdays to anniversaries," said an anonymous sailor, who said he couldn't go home to be with relatives when his aunt and mother-in-law passed away. However, he said "what makes me most proud is that I didn't give up".
Shakeira Fairfax flew from New Jersey, USA to Thailand to visit her 25-year-old daughter Jada, who became a sailor on the Lincoln just a few weeks after completing recruit training in October 2025.
"There have been very difficult times, but we choose to look at the positive side," Ms. Fairfax, 43, shared.
On ships, sailors have to work long hours, have little rest, and have weeks without being able to contact friends and family. Fairfax described the period after fighting broke out in the Middle East as "unsettling" and "scary".
Todd Wende, a former US sergeant who served on aircraft carriers, said sailors are usually allowed to rest at port every 30-45 days at sea.
While on the ship, sailors must face the feeling of insecurity because they do not know how long the mission will last, and must maintain high concentration and avoid subjective psychology in a dangerous environment, according to Wende.
"Every day on the train is endlessly repetitive. It makes you confused... Even though there are 5,000-6,000 people on the train, every day you only wander around and see exactly 50 familiar faces," he said.
In Pattaya, shops and restaurants simultaneously displayed signs welcoming the Lincoln's 5-day visit. "Thank you for your dedication," M's Mojito bar reads on the LED screen.
American soldiers took to the streets of Pattaya after arriving at the hotel by bus, exchanging money and visiting familiar locations such as 7-Eleven and McDonald's.
"Everyone goes to 7-Eleven because it's familiar," said Mitchell, an American soldier.
Instead of going to bars or entertainment areas in Pattaya, the USS Abraham Lincoln's sailors seemed to mainly go shopping in the first hours ashore. After many days living on the ship, perhaps a casual shopping trip was just what they needed.
At the Hard Rock, one of two beachfront hotels where they were allowed to stay when they left the ship, some sailors enjoyed their first cold beers and cocktails in months, ordering burgers and pizza. Others choose to go to Burger King to eat french fries.
American soldiers arrived in Pattaya during the low tourist season. Business owners say recent visitor numbers have been much lower than usual, due to travel disruptions and high ticket prices due to the Iran conflict.
"The arrival of American soldiers here benefits the local economy, because they spend a lot on food, travel and shopping," shared Damri Sangtang, owner of Coffee War.
Located about a 30-minute drive from the city center, Coffee War is a coffee shop combined with a museum displaying used US jeeps, aircraft and military equipment.
"I hope Thai people see them as tourists contributing to boosting the economy, instead of just focusing on nightlife activities," Damri said.
Mayor Poramet Ngampichet also said sailors and marines were asked to avoid two streets after dark where many prostitutes gather. Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, but quite common in Pattaya.
However, they can still freely drink alcohol. By midnight, some young sailors were so drunk that they had to help each other. Others cautiously entered bars, where pole dancers danced on stage.
"The press said we were at sea for 9 months. Honestly, I can't remember the time anymore," said a sailor. "Everything there is boring. The ship is really big but it's still just a ship, especially when you have to live with thousands of people."
US Naval Attaché Kristopher Robinson did not answer the BBC's questions about activities that military personnel are prohibited from doing while in Pattaya, saying instead that "we are trying to create maximum opportunities for sailors to rest".
He added that US forces would "comply with US laws, US Navy regulations and Thai laws".
The decision to stop at Pattaya of the USS Abraham Lincoln is considered a reasonable choice. Thailand is a longtime ally of the United States and this stop is also on the ship's journey from the Gulf to California, creating an opportunity for sailors to relieve their fatigue before returning home.
Some American tourists also came to Pattaya to welcome the soldiers disembarking from the ship.
"We are here to support and welcome the soldiers. They should have been able to rest sooner," Robert Marsico, 43 years old, from Texas, shared.
