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🇸🇪 Sweden /Conflict & Security

5,000 U.S. Marines come ashore in Pattaya after nine months at sea

From Dagens Nyheter · () Swedish

Translated from Swedish and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • About 5,000 U.S. Marines from the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Pattaya after spending a record 280 days at sea, much of it in a war zone.
  • Local businesses hope the visit will bring in money after the war with Iran reduced tourism, while Thai authorities deployed additional police and imposed rules to prevent incidents.
  • The ship is scheduled to leave Pattaya on Sunday and return to San Diego.

After 280 days at sea, 5,000 U.S. Marines finally stepped ashore in Pattaya, Thailand, where local businesses are hoping the exhausted troops will spend freely during their short break.

The USS Abraham Lincoln left San Diego in November for a deployment across the Pacific and the South China Sea. Its mission changed after the United States and Israel went to war with Iran in February, sending the carrier and its group into a conflict zone. The crew ultimately spent nine months aboard, a record-long deployment.

We have nothing to lose, we just hope they spend a little money here.

· Pattaya jewelerThe jeweler described local businesses' hopes that the visiting troops would help offset lower tourism.

Reports from the ship described shortages of food, malfunctioning sewage systems, contaminated water and mental-health problems among the crew. On Wednesday, the sailors and Marines arrived in civilian clothes at the resort city about 150 kilometers south of Bangkok. They smiled and waved as they entered a place long familiar to American troops, who used Pattaya as a rest stop during the Vietnam War.

They are here for drinks, to have fun and let loose.

· Food vendorThe vendor expressed optimism about additional income during the troops' stay.

Pattaya is now known for its nightlife, sex industry and readily available drugs, although the city has also tried in recent years to attract more family-oriented tourism. The arrival of the Americans has been welcomed by local traders. A jeweler told the BBC, “We have nothing to lose, we just hope they spend a little money here,” while Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said he expected the visit to generate 30 million kronor.

Authorities are also concerned about possible incidents in a city filled with temptations. Thailand has sent extra police to the entertainment districts, and the troops must follow restrictions, including bans on visiting cannabis shops and taking part in water sports. Restaurant and bar owners remain hopeful. “They are here for drinks, to have fun and let loose,” a food vendor told Reuters. The stop lasts until Sunday, when the USS Abraham Lincoln begins its journey back to San Diego.

What this strike group has accomplished is truly historic. I could not be prouder.

· Admiral Robert E. LoghranThe admiral praised the carrier group after its extended deployment.
About this summary

Originally published by Dagens Nyheter in Swedish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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