Thailand welcomes 5,000 US sailors after nearly 10 months at sea
About 5,000 sailors and crew from the USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Pattaya, Thailand, after spending nearly 10 months at sea. They were given five days of rest and recreation after disembarking from their ship, which was docked at a port north of Pattaya.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said the sailors were banned from certain water sports and could not take advantage of the country’s cannabis laws. Security officials increased patrols in the city to prevent problems during the sailors’ stay.
The USS Abraham Lincoln left California in November and conducted operations in the South China Sea and the Middle East. The crew is expected to remain in Pattaya until the ship departs on Sunday. The visit could generate nearly 100 million baht in economic benefits.
