Pattaya anticipates USS Abraham Lincoln visit

[AP Photo]

Thousands of American service members are about to descend on eastern Thailand, as the USS Abraham Lincoln makes a port call near the city of Pattaya, famous for its beaches and nightlife.

The aircraft carrier sailed past Singapore over the weekend on its way back to the U.S. after a lengthy deployment in the Middle East as part of the U.S. war against Iran.

The Lincoln is expected to dock at a port in Chonburi province this week, according to Thai officials.

More than 5,000 American service members are onboard and many are expected to visit Pattaya, according to the city’s Mayor Poramet Ngampichet, who hopes the port call will boost the local economy. He said destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. will dock at a different port.

“For Pattaya to be seen as an important vacation spot is something that we have aimed for,” Poramet said. “We welcome more visits of the troops in the future, whether for a drill or a vacation, before they go back to the U.S.”

After meeting with American officials Monday, Poramet shared that the service members will be banned from certain recreational activities such as parasailing and marijuana use. Medical cannabis was legalized in Thailand in 2022 and dispensaries have become common in Thai cities.

Poramet said the visit is particularly welcome as international tourism has declined worldwide due to soaring gas prices as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

Government officials are warning local businesses not to overcharge American sailors and there will be a greater police presence in popular areas along Pattaya Beach and the city’s Walking Street, he said.

Pattaya, a popular beach destination about 150 kilometers southeast of Bangkok, is also known for its seedier night scene. In recent years, though, the city has tried to promote its image instead for natural and cultural attractions.

Law enforcements agencies have been ordered to step up security measures to prevent undesirable situations, city police Chief Anek Srathongyoo said.

He said that if any U.S. service members break Thai law, they will 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.”

Some, however, are more skeptical. Somkiet Noree, who runs a souvenir shop on Walking Street, said he knows about the upcoming visit but isn’t sure if that will boost sales.

“Pattaya is quiet at the moment,” he said. “I hope they will come here and buy things.”

Bar employee Bualuang Ponok said she has seen American service members stroll Walking Street during past visits, but she doesn’t expect many of them will be spending.

“They said 5,000 people will come here, but how many will reach us?” she said, unsure of where service members will choose to go.

Earlier in August, the usually Asia-based U.S.S. George Washington relieved the long-deployed Lincoln in the Middle East.

The Lincoln, one of the U.S. Navy’s largest warships, was part of American efforts in the Iran war, which flared back up over the weekend for the first time in a month. JINTAMAS SAKSORNCHAI & ANTON L. DELGADO, PATTAYA,MDT/AP