PATTAYA — Thai police responded to an early-morning fight involving two American from the USS Abraham Lincoln outside a bar near Pattaya’s Walking Street, with the sailors later restricted to the aircraft carrier for the remainder of its port visit.
The incident occurred at about 01:30 on Thursday near Walking Street, one of Pattaya’s best-known nightlife areas, after a Thai citizen called emergency services to report a physical altercation.
Police described the incident as minor but said the two American sailors were drunk. The Thai caller was concerned that the fight could escalate without police intervention.
Thai police and members of the USS Abraham Lincoln’s shore liaison group were dispatched to the scene through the Thai emergency call centre.
The two Americans were taken to the joint operations centre run by the US Navy and Thai authorities at the Hard Rock Cafe Pattaya.
Police said the sailors were subsequently returned to the aircraft carrier. During a daily security meeting between US Navy officials and Thai authorities, Navy officials told him that the two service members had been restricted to the ship for the remainder of the port call.
He said he had made the position clear to Navy officials and was satisfied that the Lincoln’s crew had been properly briefed about the consequences of misconduct while in Thailand.
The alcohol-related incident comes as about 5,000 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln make their first liberty port call during a deployment lasting more than nine months.
The crew has been involved in combat operations in the Iran war since February. Conditions aboard the carrier have also come under scrutiny after sailors’ family members raised concerns about food and supply shortages, low morale and physical exhaustion.
Before the ship arrived in Thailand, its commanding officer briefed the crew on restrictions in Pattaya, according to a source familiar with the briefing who spoke anonymously about internal instructions.
The source said sailors were warned that certain areas of Pattaya were off limits and were prohibited from activities including prostitution and marijuana use. Service members were also told that violations would result in the maximum punishment.
Thai police have increased security during the port visit, with additional patrols deployed at six strategic checkpoints around Pattaya to respond to incidents involving the influx of American service members.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is expected to leave Thailand on Sunday.
