Pattaya is preparing for an unusual surge of visitors this week as a major U.S. Navy aircraft carrier and two accompanying vessels arrive at nearby Laem Chabang, bringing thousands of sailors and Marines to Thailand’s eastern resort region after an exceptionally long deployment.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to dock on Wednesday, giving nearly 5,000 U.S. military personnel an opportunity to rest and spend time ashore after more than 200 consecutive days at sea, according to Thai officials.
For businesses in Pattaya, the arrival comes at a time when tourism has been unusually sluggish. Local officials and business operators are therefore looking to the American sailors and Marines as a potential short-term source of revenue, particularly for hotels, restaurants, transportation providers, entertainment venues and other businesses that depend heavily on international visitors.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated that each U.S. military visitor could spend between 1,000 and 3,000 baht ($30 to $91) a day, depending on how long they remain ashore and whether they stay overnight.
Because shore leave will be staggered, however, the entire contingent is not expected to enter Pattaya simultaneously.
"It should help stimulate Pattaya's economy in the short term," Poramase said.
Police step up patrols
The anticipated influx has also prompted authorities to increase security and public-order measures, particularly in areas associated with Pattaya's nightlife.
Police are preparing additional patrols around the city's main beachfront and entertainment district. The preparations follow weekend raids in which between 40 and 50 people were detained on suspicion of prostitution, officials said.
Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo acknowledged the difficulties authorities face in monitoring the city's sprawling nightlife economy.
"We are doing our best, but it is difficult," Anek said on Monday, explaining that sex workers could potentially solicit customers in public places without the authorities' knowledge.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, although the country's sex industry remains highly visible in major tourist centres. Pattaya, in particular, has developed an international reputation for its nightlife and adult entertainment sector.
The prospect of thousands of U.S. military personnel arriving at once has consequently renewed questions about how authorities will balance the economic benefits of the visit with concerns about exploitation, public safety and sexually transmitted infections.
Concerns over exploitation
Pipatpong Fakfare, an associate professor at Bangkok University's School of Humanities and Tourism Management, said a large influx of customers could create additional risks for vulnerable people working in the entertainment sector.
"The risk to health and safety, as the influx of a large number of customers may increase the likelihood of sexual exploitation and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases," Pipatpong said.
He also highlighted reports concerning stress, suicide attempts and declining morale among personnel aboard the aircraft carrier, saying those issues added another dimension to the challenges surrounding the visit.
The FBI described Pattaya about a decade ago as "one of the world's leading sex tourism destinations," reflecting the city's long-standing association with the international sex industry.
Yet Pattaya's relationship with the U.S. military predates its modern reputation as a major tourist destination.
Once a fishing village, the city expanded rapidly as a tourism centre partly because American servicemen stationed in the region during the Vietnam War sought places to rest and relax. Over subsequent decades, Pattaya developed into one of Thailand's best-known beach resorts.
A welcome boost for struggling businesses
The economic expectations surrounding the carrier's visit are particularly strong among businesses that have struggled during a weak tourism year.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said the eventual economic impact would depend on how many sailors and Marines remained in Pattaya rather than travelling elsewhere, including to Bangkok.
Pattaya has more than 300,000 rooms, meaning the city has considerable capacity to accommodate visitors. But the scale of the military contingent does not guarantee that all of the spending will remain in the resort city.
Some personnel may choose day trips, while others could travel to Bangkok or other destinations.
For operators in Pattaya's nightlife sector, however, even a temporary increase in visitors is being greeted with optimism.
"When we heard the news that a U.S. Navy warship would be docking in Pattaya, it became a source of hope for us," said Lisa Hamilton, president of the Pattaya Nightlife Business Association.
"I have lived in Pattaya for more than 20 years, and I have never seen any year as slow as this one."
A long deployment
The arrival also comes after an extraordinary period for the Abraham Lincoln and its crew.
The carrier left its home port of San Diego in November before being redirected to the Middle East to support U.S. military operations during the conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran. Democratic lawmakers said the deployment set a modern-day record for consecutive days at sea.
The extended mission has nevertheless generated concern about conditions aboard the ship.
Two military-focused news outlets reported this month on suicide attempts and declining morale among personnel, highlighting the psychological and physical strain associated with such a prolonged deployment.
The stop in Thailand is intended to give sailors and Marines time to rest and recuperate before continuing their duties.
For Pattaya, meanwhile, the visit presents a familiar but complicated equation: thousands of foreign visitors arriving with money to spend, businesses eager for customers, and authorities attempting to ensure that the economic windfall does not come at the expense of public safety or vulnerable people.
The city is preparing for the sailors' arrival with both anticipation and caution, aware that the benefits of the visit may last only a few days but that its effects could extend beyond the immediate boost to local commerce.