Many are visiting nail salons, shopping for socks and gifts and eating familiar food, The Guardian reported. The USS Abraham Lincoln’s sailors, who have arrived in Thailand’s Pattaya after spending 286 days at sea, are choosing to enjoy simple things during their break.
Ahead of their crew’s five-day visit, Thai authorities launched a series of targeted raids and crackdowns on street prostitution. Big brands such as Nike, Starbucks and Victoria’s Secret have also reported a rise in sales, indicating that many sailors are also choosing familiar American brands during their time ashore. Their visit to the Southeast Asian nation comes after widespread criticism over the living conditions at the aircraft carrier. Subsequently, reports emerged of deteriorating living conditions and poor mental health onboard the aircraft carrier, including attempted suicides. How Sailors Are Enjoying Their Time? Pattaya is famous for its red-light district and vibrant nightlife. Authorities have also issued specific guidelines for visiting military personnel to ensure that their trip remains smooth and orderly. Photo Credit: AFP While speaking to The Guardian, many sailors opened up about how they are planning to spend time in Pattaya. Another sailor showed a Hello Kitty soft toy that he bought for his wife from H&M. How Brands Are Capitalising? The famed Walking Street has welcomed the sailors with a large neon sign. However, not all businesses benefited.
Because of military operations in the Middle East and the war between the United States and Iran, the crew had spent months at sea. US service personnel of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) arrive during their port call at the Hard Rock Hotel in Pattaya on September 2, 2026. He also said this was his fourth deployment and agreed that 286 days at sea was a long time, especially for those on their first deployment. Local businesses have re-organised their sales strategies, hoping to capitalise on the visit of the 5,000 crew members, who have not been able to spend any money these months. Tailors are offering quick 24-hour services, while restaurants are giving discounts to military personnel.
The ship’s captain admitted to The Guardian about a lack of fresh fruit and vegetables but said reports about the living conditions were largely “exaggerated”. One of them said that he was mainly looking for “simple stuff like new socks. A local bar worker said the sailors had given businesses a “good boost”, but they appeared cautious around bar girls. Some small sellers said that they had made very few sales from the visit.
Pattaya hopes the sailors will help the local economy. Poramet Ngampichet, if each American spends $100-150 per day, the visit could generate about 100m Thai baht ($3m), according to the mayor.
