Thousands of U.S. service members arrive in Thailand after record stint at sea

LAEM CHABANG, Thailand — The USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier arrived Wednesday at a port in eastern Thailand, where thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines are disembarking for the first time in more than 280 days after a record-setting deployment in the Middle East.

The toll of the more than nine-month deployment, most of it spent supporting military operations in the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, was visible on the carrier as it pulled into Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province. Paint has worn off and the metal underneath is rusted on the 1,092-foot warship, which is one of the largest in the world.

The Lincoln is stopping in Thailand on its journey home after having spent weeks in the headlines as the lengthy deployment raised concerns about supply shortages and the effect on sailors’ mental health.

The U.S. Navy confirmed the ship’s arrival in a statement, saying the Lincoln strike group arrived in Laem Chabang while the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. docked in nearby Sriracha and the guided-missile cruiser USS Robert Smalls went to Map Ta Phut in neighboring Rayong province.

The Navy said it was the Lincoln’s first full port stop after 286 days at sea since the deployment began in November.

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“Our arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our sailors and Marines to rest and recharge,” said Rear Adm. Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3. “It also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand.”

Service members could be seen working aboard the deck of the Lincoln as loudspeakers played announcements about the process for disembarkation, which is expected later in the day.

“I’m excited, as excited as you are,” a voice could be heard saying over loudspeaker.

About 5,000 sailors and Marines are expected to hit the streets of Pattaya, a nearby coastal resort city, for a four-day “rest and relaxation” stop before they return to their home port, San Diego. Each service member will get three “liberty days” and one day of duty aboard the ship, a U.S. military official said.

Locals in tourism-dependent Pattaya have eagerly awaited the arrival of the Lincoln, which pulled into sight from the shore after sunrise before it made a wide turn and harbored itself at a major cargo terminal.

Officials in Pattaya, where international tourist arrivals have dropped because of travel disruptions and soaring fuel prices stemming from the conflict in the Middle East, say the visit is expected to inject about $3 million into the local economy.

Authorities have stepped up security, with heightened police patrols and checks along the roads. Businesses here are also trying to woo the sailors, with some putting up banners to welcome them.

Wichai Yuankham, 35, a factory worker who came to watch the ships arrive, said the naval visit was a welcome boost to the local economy.

“I am just excited to see the destroyer docking,” he said. “This is my first time seeing the destroyer, and I feel good seeing it, and we can boast to our neighboring countries about this.”