Thai resort braces for 5,000 sailors from USS Lincoln after lengthy Mideast deployment

A US aircraft carrier at the center of a political fight over conditions on board was set to arrive in Thailand on Tuesday, the first port call for its 5,000-strong crew since November.

The thousands of 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 US after a lengthy deployment in the Middle East as part of the US war against Iran.

The nuclear-powered ship — one of the US Navy’s largest warships — left California in November 2025 for duty in the South China Sea and was rerouted to the Middle East before US-Israeli attacks on Iran that began six months ago.

Reports of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health on board — including attempted suicides — made headlines in the United States, provoking criticism of US President Donald Trump’s war against Iran. The deployment included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 250 days, which caused concerns following reports of shortages of supplies including food and hygiene products.

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 US.”

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.

“About 600 officials will provide security and other necessary assistance,” provincial Governor Narit Niramaiwong told AFP.

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 (93 miles) 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 enforcement agencies have been ordered to step up security measures to prevent undesirable situations, city police Chief Anek Srathongyoo said. He said that if any US 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.”

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

Thai officials have said the Lincoln will return to the US after its port call in Thailand.

Once a sleepy fishing village, Pattaya was transformed by the Vietnam War in the 1960s, when US soldiers on leave began coming for rest and recreation. The city has since become hugely popular with foreign tourists, known for its beaches and a nightlife scene that has long drawn scrutiny over sex tourism.

“We’re happy to get business from anybody,” Nicko, the French owner of a go-go bar in Pattaya, told AFP. “We’ll have to be careful because as we know, things can get out of hand with alcohol involved.”