Journalism of Courage
Thailand raids Pattaya sex workers as USS Abraham Lincoln arrives with 5,000 sailors, Marines
With the war in Iran impacting tourism and consumer spending, Pattaya had gone quieter than usual. However, the bars in the city's popular Walking Street still cast videos of pole-dancing women on their walls, trying to lure customers inside.
A tug boat greets the US Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln as it arrives at the port in Laem Chabang, Chonburi, Thailand, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026. (AP)
Thailand has stepped up policing in Pattaya’s nightlife districts as thousands of US sailors and Marines arrive in nearby Laem Chabang aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after a 286-day deployment, including more than 250 consecutive days at sea without a port visit.
The Lincoln, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines, was deployed in November last year and was involved in the US naval blockade and combat operations in the war with Iran.
For the US military, the Pattaya stop also echoes the Vietnam War era, when hundreds of thousands of American servicemen passed through Thailand and Pattaya became a major Rest and Rehabilitation (R&R) destination.
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World · Thailand · History
From fishing village to US military R&R hub
As the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln brings some 5,000 sailors and Marines to Pattaya to rest in September 2026, it revives a bond forged in the Vietnam War — the era that turned a sleepy fishing town into a global resort.
Graphic. Where the three US warships are docking, and how sailors get from Laem Chabang to Pattaya.
Vietnam War
50,000+
US personnel stationed in Thailand at the peak
2026
~5,000
sailors & Marines on shore leave in Pattaya
How Pattaya was shaped
1960s
A quiet fishing village
Pattaya was a small fishing community on Thailand's Gulf coast.
Vietnam War
US troops arrive
At the war's peak, more than 50,000 US service personnel were stationed in Thailand, flying from its air bases. An estimated 700,000 US servicemen are said to have passed through on R&R between 1962 and 1976.
1960s–70s
R&R changes Pattaya
Servicemen seeking rest and recreation drove a boom in hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
1976
US troops leave
American forces withdrew from Thailand — but the tourism infrastructure remained.
1980s–2000s
Tourists replace troops
Pattaya's nightlife economy expanded as international tourism grew.
Now · 2026
US sailors return — temporarily
The USS Abraham Lincoln docks at Laem Chabang (Sept 2–6), its crew resting after a record 280-plus days at sea — bringing the historic US military–Pattaya connection full circle.
From military R&R to global tourism — how a wartime pit-stop shaped Pattaya's identity.
The ~700,000 R&R figure is a widely cited estimate for the 1962–76 period. Troop levels drew down to fewer than 250 by mid-1976.
Sources: Reuters · NBC News · The Washington Times · Stars and Stripes · US GAO · Kyoto Review of Southeast Asia. 2026 visit dated Sept 2–6, 2026.
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Now, after an unusually long deployment, thousands of sailors and Marines are getting a chance to spend time ashore near Pattaya, a city still known internationally for its nightlife and sex-tourism industry.
The Iran war has also hit tourism and consumer spending in Pattaya, according to local businesses and reporting. Walking Street remains busy with nightlife advertising, but the city is quieter than usual.
The arrival of thousands of sailors, many of whom have spent months at sea with limited opportunities to spend ashore, is being seen by local businesses as a rare economic opportunity.
“This visit could be our best hope,” said Anon Saiteer, who sells gems at a shop close to Walking Street, which now displays a large sign offering special discounts for US sailors and marines. “We have nothing to lose – we just hope they will spend some money here,” BBC quoted him as saying.
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What measures are US and Thailand taking
Thai and US authorities are trying to manage the influx while limiting security risks and preventing exploitation. The Thai authorities have demarcated a few places where US servicemen and women will be prohibited from going. Soi 6 is one of the areas where sex workers openly solicit customers.
🇹🇭🇺🇸 Let the debauchery begin!
The sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln are now on dry land as they arrive in Pattaya, Thailand, for a 5-day reprieve after a record 286 days at sea.
Around 5,000 sailors and Marines were bused into the longtime Vietnam War era R&R hub. Thai…
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 2, 2026
Thai police have reminded US personnel that prostitution is illegal in Thailand. Estimates cited in recent reporting put the number of sex workers in Pattaya at between 25,000 and 50,000.
US personnel have also been barred from cannabis shops and several recreational activities, including water sports, jet skiing, bungee jumping, wrestling and boxing.
A fleet of around 40 buses will ferry the military personnel between Pattaya and the port at Laem Chabang where the vessels will dock, Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said. Pattaya sits on the Gulf of Thailand, about 150 km southeast of Bangkok, Reuters reported.
Two hotels have been designated for the US crew members who want to spend a night onshore.
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Hundreds of Thai police officers have been deployed to keep an eye on the city’s entertainment zones, and local businesses have been warned not to overcharge their American guests.
Why USS Abraham Lincoln spent 286 days at sea before reaching Thailand
The USS Abraham Lincoln left San Diego in November 2025 for a deployment that was initially focused on the Pacific. It was later redirected to the Middle East as the US-Israel war with Iran began.
During the deployment, the sailors and Marines had only limited opportunities to spend time ashore, including stops in Guam and Oman. The deployment was originally due to end in May but was repeatedly extended as the war continued. The carrier finally reached Thailand on Wednesday after 286 days away from its home port.
Recently, the family members of the seafarers and a few Congress members raised concerns about reports on the crew’s mental health as well as food shortages and broken toilets on the ship.
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The Navy acknowledged that unusually long deployments can put service members and their families under stress, while pushing back against some reports about conditions aboard the carrier.
(With inputs from agencies)
© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd
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