Police in Thailand have been locking up prostitutes as thousands of U.S sailors and Marines disembark after more than eight months trapped aboard a crisis-strewn ship.
The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived on Wednesday at Laem Chabang Port, near Pattaya, for a five-day “rest and relaxation” stop.
But after months of grueling conditions at sea, the long-awaited break in a world-famous sex-tourism hot spot comes under a cloud of restrictions.
Officers in Pattaya, a former fishing village now famed for its neon lights and frenetic atmosphere, are cracking down on public prostitution and increasing patrols across the city.
Over the weekend, police carried out a late-night sweep along Pattaya’s main beach promenade targeting suspected public prostitution, Thai media reported.
A total of 25 people were detained, including 18 Thais, five Laotians and two Ugandans, Thai media reported.
U.S. service members have also been barred from entering certain areas as officials seek to keep the influx of pent-up sailors under control.
The USS Lincoln left San Diego in November and has remained operational for more than 250 straight days.
That means sailors have spent months operating far from home, much of that time in the Middle East supporting U.S. military operations during Trump’s deeply unpopular war with Iran.
The record-breaking deployment has reportedly taken a serious toll. Relatives told NBC News that conditions aboard the carrier have deteriorated, with food shortages and the relentless stretch at sea “wreaking havoc” on sailors’ mental health and morale.
One 19-year-old sailor even tried to take his own life before being told he will now face disciplinary action. Others aboard have jumped overboard.
For many aboard, the Pattaya visit will be their first opportunity in months to leave the ship, relax and spend money they have accumulated during the deployment.
Police cited efforts to combat human trafficking, child exploitation and begging as the reason for the beefed-up patrols.
It comes as Pattaya has been attempting to shed its reputation as a global sex-tourism hot spot.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, but sex work remains openly practiced in major tourist centers.
The city has long been known as Thailand’s “Sin City,” thanks to its sprawling nightlife and highly visible sex-work industry.
Surang Janyam, founder and director of Swing, a nongovernmental organization supporting sex workers in Thailand, questioned whether the restrictions would actually make the city safer.
“Is Thailand really that scary? And can we really do the zoning?” she told NBC News. “I understand they announced this for safety, but isn’t safety for everyone, not just the 5,000 sailors?”
The USS Abraham Lincoln and the two accompanying naval vessels are scheduled to depart Sunday and begin the final leg of their journey back to San Diego.
