USS Abraham Lincoln sailors arrive in Pattaya for shore leave after nine-month deployment
Quick Look
- The USS Abraham Lincoln docked in Pattaya, Thailand, after nearly nine months at sea, granting approximately 5,000 sailors and Marines shore leave.
- The deployment, which began in San Diego on November 21, included brief stops in Guam and Oman, with service members reportedly facing food shortages and mental health challenges.
- Local vendors welcomed the troops, noting the economic boost, while officials reminded personnel of prostitution bans under U.S. military and Thai law.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego on November 21 for a deployment that included brief stops in Guam and Oman before arriving in Pattaya. The crew faced extended time at sea with reported challenges in provisions and mental health.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has docked after nearly nine months at sea, allowing sailors to finally hit the town in Pattaya, known as Thailand’s “Sin City.”
These roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines have been on the aircraft carrier since it left its home port of San Diego on November 21. While the ship briefly docked in Guam and Oman, American service members have spent virtually all of their time on the ship, reportedly facing food shortages and mental health challenges as their deployment dragged out amid the ongoing Iran war.
A trip to Pattaya will be a much-needed reprieve for sailors, where they can enjoy the seaside resort’s beaches and nightlife.
“He’s so excited to get on land, he’s never been outside of the United States before. He wants to eat pizza or McDonald’s. I’m so happy for him,” the mother of one of the sailors on the USS Lincoln told MS NOW.
Pattaya has been rebranded as a more family-friendly destination in recent years following a history of sex tourism. The USS Lincoln’s commanding officer warned service members against engaging in prostitution, a person familiar with the matter told MS NOW.
Prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, but the law is rarely enforced. Paying for sex is also a punishable offense in the U.S. armed forces.
During the Vietnam War, American service members flocked to Pattaya, once a quiet fishing village, "and it turned into a raunchy seaside playground," Elizabeth Becker wrote in "Overbooked: The Exploding Business of Travel and Tourism," according to the Associated Press.
With go-go clubs and other entertainment venues, sex tourism became ingrained in Pattaya city life, the AP reported.
Now, Pattaya attracts tourists with golf courses, malls and flashy outdoor activities such as water skiing and skydiving. There’s even a popular water park themed around Cartoon Network shows.
As sailors arrived in Pattaya on Wednesday, locals held “welcome” signs, MS NOW reported.
“They’re here to drink, have fun and let loose!” a local food vendor named Saroch said in a translated video by Al Jazeera.
“When the soldiers come, it’s good every year. It stimulates the economy every year,” Saroch said.
Kadsalin Ketpa, who sells clothes in Pattaya, said she was “excited about the possibility of making more sales,” telling the Qatar-based international news outlet that foot traffic has been quiet recently.
The mayor of Pattaya, Poramet Ngampichet, said the sailors are expected to stay until Sunday before heading back to San Diego, according to The New York Times.
Some service members are itching to come home.
“He’s tired of being so far away and wants to come home to the kids and I at this point,” one of the sailors’ spouses told MS NOW.
What to Watch
AI outlook — possibilities, not facts
The USS Abraham Lincoln will return to San Diego after the Pattaya port visit concludes.
Very likely · Within days
Open Questions
- What specific mental health resources were available to sailors during the deployment?
- How many sailors availed themselves of Pattaya's leisure offerings versus those who remained on base?
- Are there any planned follow-up deployments for the USS Abraham Lincoln in the near term?
