US aircraft carrier leaves Thailand after port visit

The USS Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sunday after a five-day port call that brought thousands of U.S. sailors to the coast near Pattaya. The visit offered the crew rest and recreation after a nine-month deployment in the Middle East, while local businesses hoped to benefit during Thailand’s tourism low season.

The carrier’s roughly 5,000 crew members docked at Laem Chabang, north of Pattaya, on Wednesday. The ship departed at about 11 a.m., according to AFP journalists at the port. Many sailors and Marines spent their time shopping and visiting tourist sites.

Security increased in Pattaya before the sailors arrived, and authorities cracked down on sex workers in the city, which is known for its beaches and nightlife as well as its reputation as a centre of sex tourism. The mayor denied that the measures were linked to the port call.

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Everything went fine.

Local police said the visit ended largely without incident. Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo said, “Everything went fine,” adding that there were no arrests or arguments apart from a dispute among Americans on the first day. Two sailors were sent back to the Lincoln after a drunken altercation near Walking Street. The police chief described the incident as a small and trivial scuffle.

Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated that the sailors spent up to 100 million baht during their stay. The city also sold the ship supplies worth millions of baht. The visit came after U.S. lawmakers called for an investigation into reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental-health crises aboard the Lincoln. Media reports also said sailors had at times lacked basic toiletries, including toothpaste, deodorant and soap.

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It shows that they are missing their families and want to buy some souvenirs for them.