Crew from US aircraft carrier visits Pattaya

9 Jan 2012

The crew of a giant US aircraft carrier are visiting Pattaya for a spot of rest and recuperation. The USS Abraham Lincoln entered Laem Chabang Port north of Pattaya on Saturday, and many of the 5,500 crew aboard wasted no time in setting off to enjoy Thailand’s favourite seaside resort.

Over the weekend, legendary Pattaya entertainment locations such as Walking Street were awash with US military personnel. Most of the venue proprietors and staff seemed very pleased to see the visitors, as they will bring much needed income to a resort recovering from months of lost earnings due to flooding elsewhere in the country.

It is not only the nightlife that attracts the US sailors as groups of them were seen at tourist attractions including Na Kluea Floating Market and Nong Nooch Botanical Gardens as well as the promenade on Beach Road.

The supercarrier will be docked at Laem Chabang for a total of five days and a spokesperson said the majority of the sailors aboard will be granted shore-leave. The USS Abraham Lincoln previously visited Pattaya in April 2006.

The Nimitz-class vessel is named after one of the US’s most influential presidents. Two nuclear reactors power the vessel with a landing strip the equivalent of three football pitches in size.

The Abraham Lincoln carries a fleet of 85 fighter planes and helicopters. Of the crew aboard, 2,500 are flying officers and aircraft maintenance personnel.

Tags: US carrier visits