The USS Abraham Lincoln departed Laem Chabang after a five-day port call in Pattaya, its first stop after roughly nine months at sea. Local authorities increased security during the visit, which police described as largely incident-free aside from a minor drunken altercation that sent two sailors back to the ship. Mayor estimates put sailors' spending in Pattaya at around 100 million baht (~$3 million), while US lawmakers have called for inquiries into reported shortages and welfare issues aboard the carrier.
USS Abraham Lincoln Departs Thailand After Five-Day Pattaya Port Call Amid Crew Welfare Concerns
US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) is seen docked at Laem Chabang Port, near the city of Pattaya on September 3, 2026 (ANTHONY WALLACE)
Thousands of US sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln left Thailand on Sunday, concluding a five-day port visit to Laem Chabang near Pattaya, AFP journalists reported. The stop was the carrier's first port call after roughly nine months at sea following a lengthy Middle East deployment.
The ship's crew is estimated at about 5,000 personnel. The Lincoln departed Laem Chabang at approximately 11:00 a.m. local time (0400 GMT), AFP reporters observed.
Authorities in Pattaya increased security while the carrier was in port. Local officials also carried out crackdowns on sex workers ahead of the sailors' arrival, a measure the Pattaya mayor said was not directly linked to the visit.
Police described the port call as largely peaceful. "Everything went fine," Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo told AFP, noting there were no major incidents or arrests apart from an early dispute among some American sailors on the first day. Two sailors were returned to the Lincoln after a drunken altercation in the early hours near Pattaya's Walking Street, the police chief said.
Concerns about conditions on board the Lincoln have drawn attention in recent weeks. US Democratic lawmakers called for an investigation after media reports alleging food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises among crew members. President Donald Trump dismissed some of those concerns, and the carrier was later replaced in the Middle East by the USS George Washington.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated that enlisted personnel spent up to 100 million baht (about $3 million) during the five-day stay. The mayor also said the city sold supplies to the ship — including basic toiletries such as toothpaste — worth "millions of baht." Media accounts had earlier said some sailors went without items like toothpaste, deodorant and soap at points during the deployment.
Many sailors and Marines used their time ashore for shopping and sightseeing along Thailand's coast. "It shows that they are missing their families and want to buy some souvenirs for them," the mayor told AFP.
Key takeaways: The Lincoln completed a short, mostly uneventful visit to Pattaya, provided a boost to the local economy, and left lingering questions about living conditions and welfare aboard the carrier that US lawmakers have sought to investigate.
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