Police Increase Patrols in Pattaya as USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives

<figure><img alt="A street vendor pushes his cart past bars and clubs along a street in Pattaya on July 2, 2026. Scantily dressed and wearing stiletto heels, hundreds of girls, some apparently very young, form a seedy guard of honour under the lights of Soi 6, a street in one of Pattaya's red-light districts. (Photo by ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images)" src="https://thedailybeast-thedailybeast-prod.web.arc-cdn.net/resizer/v2/OHJB6SW3FNDZVHUWQLDMLRR5UY.jpg?auth=74de20248daff2cae79bdea8a9b9dfb510c8bcfc1ced064993f792ed33cf659f&amp;smart=true&amp;width=5199&amp;height=2924" /><figcaption>ANTHONY WALLACE / AFP via Getty Images</figcaption></figure><p>Police in Thailand have detained sex workers as thousands of U.S. sailors and Marines arrive after more than eight months at sea. The USS Abraham Lincoln docked at Laem Chabang Port, near Pattaya, on September 2, 2026, for a five-day rest period.</p><p>Authorities are enforcing restrictions due to the influx of service members in a well-known sex tourism destination. Police have increased patrols and conducted sweeps targeting public prostitution, resulting in the detention of 25 individuals, including 18 Thais, five Laotians, and two Ugandans, according to Thai media reports.</p><p>U.S. service members have been restricted from entering certain areas as officials aim to manage the large number of sailors. The USS Lincoln has been operational for over 250 consecutive days, having left San Diego in November 2025.</p><p>Reports indicate that conditions aboard the ship have deteriorated, with food shortages affecting sailors' mental health and morale. Some sailors have faced disciplinary actions following incidents of self-harm.</p><p>The visit to Pattaya offers sailors their first chance to leave the ship and spend money accumulated during their deployment. Police cited efforts to combat human trafficking, child exploitation, and begging as reasons for the increased enforcement.</p><p>Despite prostitution being illegal in Thailand, it is openly practiced in major tourist areas. Pattaya has been working to improve its image as a global sex tourism hub.</p><p>Surang Janyam, director of a non-governmental organization supporting sex workers, expressed skepticism about the effectiveness of the restrictions, questioning whether they would enhance safety for all individuals in the area.</p><p>The USS Abraham Lincoln and accompanying vessels are scheduled to depart on September 6, 2026, for the final leg of their journey back to San Diego.</p>