LAEM CHABANG, THAILAND Sept 2, 2026 — The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Laem Chabang Port in Chonburi province on Wednesday morning, giving its roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines their first full port call after more than 250 consecutive days at sea.
The Nimitz-class nuclear-powered carrier steamed in from a lengthy deployment in the Middle East, where it supported U.S. operations against Iran, before heading home to San Diego. Thai officials said the five-day visit, scheduled through Sunday, is for rest, recuperation and resupply — not joint exercises.
The Navy’s official release put the time at sea at 286 days since the ship deployed from San Diego in November 2025. Democratic lawmakers have described the stretch as a modern-day record for consecutive days underway. Reports during the deployment cited crew concerns over mental health, food and hygiene shortages, and living conditions. The Navy has said working conditions were tough but that the crew was supported.
Two other ships from the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group also arrived: the destroyer USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. at nearby Sriracha and the cruiser USS Robert Smalls at Map Ta Phut.
“Our arrival in Laem Chabang provides a well-deserved opportunity for our Sailors and Marines to rest and recharge. It also underscores the strong and enduring partnership and alliance between the United States and Thailand,” Rear Adm. Robert E. Loughran, commander of Carrier Strike Group 3, said in the Navy statement.
Capt. Dan Keeler, the carrier’s commanding officer, called the stop the first port visit of a “historic deployment” and a demonstration of U.S. commitment to Thailand, Washington’s only treaty ally in mainland Southeast Asia. The two countries have been partners since the 1833 Treaty of Amity and Commerce and regularly train together in exercises such as Cobra Gold.
Pattaya, about 40 minutes from the port, is preparing for thousands of service members on shore leave. Mayor Poramase Ngampiches said about 40 buses will run between Laem Chabang and the resort city. The U.S. Navy has scheduled shuttles from 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. each day of the visit.
Local officials expect an economic lift after a quieter tourism season. They have also set limits: personnel are barred from water sports including jet skiing and parasailing, as well as bungee jumping, wrestling, boxing and cannabis shops. Extra police patrols are planned along the beachfront and nightlife areas after weekend raids that detained dozens of people on suspected prostitution charges. Sex work is illegal in Thailand but remains visible in parts of Pattaya.
The port call has historical weight. During the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops used Pattaya for rest and recreation, helping turn a fishing village into a major nightlife destination. This visit is among the largest arrivals of U.S. personnel from a combat zone since the mid-1970s.
The carrier is expected to leave Sunday and continue across the Pacific toward its home port.
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