US aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln - the focus of controversy over living conditions on board after months of continuous operations at sea - appeared off the coast of a Thai seaport, AFP reporters recorded on September 2.
This giant nuclear-powered ship was discovered before entering Laem Chabang port near Pattaya, south of Bangkok. This is the first time 5,000 sailors on board have been ashore since November.
The Abraham Lincoln ship left California in November 2025 to perform missions in the South China Sea, then was transferred to the Middle East in the face of attacks by the US and Israel against Iran 6 months ago.
Information about degraded living conditions and poor mental health on board - including cases of sailors attempting suicide - has become the focus of media attention in the US, leading to a wave of criticism aimed at President Donald Trump's war with Iran.
The resort city of Pattaya, a long-standing vacation and entertainment destination for US soldiers, has strengthened security to prepare to welcome sailors and marines. This city is currently very popular with foreign tourists, famous for its beaches and nightlife.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said that buses have been arranged to take sailors from the ship to Pattaya and vice versa until the aircraft carrier leaves. "They come to relax," Mr. Poramase wrote on Facebook this week: "Our preparation focuses on safety and ensuring reasonable prices, so as not to take advantage of them.
He said sailors are banned from participating in water sports such as water motorcycles, as well as from taking advantage of Thailand's loose regulations on marijuana. Instead, the government encourages them to explore many other attractions of the city, from shopping centers to religious establishments.
