US aircraft carrier docks near Thai beach resort Pattaya after record 250 days at sea

After 250 days at sea without a port call, the nuclear‑powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln has docked near Pattaya, giving its roughly 5,000 crew members a much‑needed break. The vessel is berthed alongside the city’s beachfront, an area famed for its raucous nightlife and long‑standing sex‑tourism industry. For the United States the stop also carries strong historical echoes, as sailors stepping into Pattaya’s bars and restaurants will be treading the same streets that hundreds of thousands of US troops walked during Vietnam‑War R‑and‑R periods, a presence that transformed the once‑sleepy fishing village into one of the world’s most celebrated and frenetic entertainment hubs. Today the neon‑lit lanes that lead down to the beach are quieter than usual. Bars on Walking Street continue to loop pole‑dancing videos on their walls in an attempt to lure patrons, yet foot traffic is light. Most visitors appear to be Middle‑Eastern families drawn to Turkish ice‑cream vendors rather than the go‑go establishments that once defined the strip. The ongoing Iran conflict has depressed tourism and consumer spending locally, leaving many businesses struggling. The arrival of thousands of American sailors—each with nine months of unpaid wages still aboard—offers an uncommon chance for local commerce to revive. The carrier left San Diego in November on what was initially planned as a six‑month deployment to the Pacific and South China Sea. It was rerouted to the Gulf after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran in late February. Recently several members of Congress voiced concern over press reports of food shortages, broken toilets and mental strain among the crew. The US Navy acknowledged that conditions at sea have been arduous but stressed that sailors are receiving adequate support. It declined to comment to the BBC on the docking in Pattaya, citing operational security. Despite its close ties with China, Thailand remains a treaty ally of the United States, and port visits by US Navy ships are a routine occurrence. Nevertheless, this stop is likely the largest single influx of US military personnel arriving directly from a combat zone to Pattaya since the fall of Saigon in 1975. Local gem seller Anon Saiteer, whose shop sits adjacent to Walking Street, voiced optimism: “This sojourn could beryllium our champion hope,” said Anon Saiteer, who sells gems successful a store adjacent Walking Street, which has enactment up a ample