For Pattaya, the arrival of the USS Abraham Lincoln is more than a routine naval port call. It is an economic opportunity, a reminder of a turbulent chapter in the city's history and a test of whether the Thai resort town can accommodate thousands of American sailors without reviving the excesses that once made it notorious.
The nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier has docked in Thailand after spending a remarkable 250 days at sea without a port stop, giving its nearly 5,000 sailors and other crew members their first major opportunity in months to step ashore, relax and spend money in local businesses.
The carrier is berthed near Pattaya, one of Thailand's best-known beach destinations and a city whose modern identity was shaped in part by the arrival of American troops during the Vietnam War.
For generations, Pattaya has been associated with its nightlife, entertainment districts and sex industry. But local officials are now eager to present a different image to the American visitors — one centred on beaches, sport, wellness, restaurants and family entertainment.
The stakes are particularly high for businesses that have struggled amid the effects of the Iran War, which has weakened tourism and reduced consumer spending.
For shopkeepers, restaurant owners, hotel operators and entertainment businesses, thousands of American sailors arriving after months at sea represent an unusually large pool of potential customers.
A windfall after months at sea
The USS Abraham Lincoln departed San Diego last November for what was initially expected to be a six-month deployment in the Pacific and South China Sea.
Its mission changed dramatically after the United States and Israel launched military operations against Iran in late February. The carrier was diverted towards the Gulf, extending what had already been a demanding deployment.
By the time the ship reached Thailand, its sailors had spent months away from a conventional port visit.
The prolonged deployment has also generated concern in Washington. Some members of Congress raised questions over reports of food shortages, malfunctioning toilets and mounting mental stress among members of the crew.
The US Navy has acknowledged that conditions during the deployment have been difficult, while maintaining that sailors have been adequately supported. The Navy declined to comment specifically to the BBC about the Pattaya visit, citing operational security.
For the local economy, however, the arrival could hardly come at a more important moment.
In the streets around Pattaya's famous entertainment districts, business owners are hoping the sailors will open their wallets after months in which much of their normal spending opportunities have been limited.
"This visit could be our best hope," said Anon Saiteer, a gem seller whose shop near Walking Street has put up a large welcome sign offering special discounts to American sailors and Marines.
"We have nothing to lose – we just hope they will spend some money here."
A city built partly on American R&R
The connection between Pattaya and the US military stretches back more than half a century.
During the Vietnam War, hundreds of thousands of American military personnel visited Thailand for so-called R&R — rest and relaxation — while serving in Southeast Asia.
Pattaya, then a relatively quiet fishing community, became one of the destinations where American servicemen could escape the pressures of war.
Their arrival helped transform the town's economy and accelerated the growth of hotels, restaurants, bars and entertainment businesses. Over subsequent decades, Pattaya developed into one of the world's most recognisable resort cities — and one of its most controversial.
The legacy of those years remains visible today.
Walking Street, the neon-lit entertainment strip beside the beach, continues to feature bars advertising go-go entertainment. Large screens display performances designed to attract customers, while promoters stand outside venues trying to draw visitors inside.
Yet the scene has changed.
On a recent visit, many of the streets were quieter than their reputation might suggest. Family groups, including visitors from the Middle East, appeared more interested in food, shopping and attractions such as Turkish ice cream than in the go-go bars.
For local authorities, that change is significant.
Thailand wants a different Pattaya
Thailand remains a treaty ally of the United States despite maintaining close economic and diplomatic relations with China. Visits by US Navy ships are therefore familiar, but the scale of the current arrival has attracted particular attention.
It is likely to represent the largest influx of US military personnel arriving directly from a war-zone deployment to Pattaya since the Vietnam War era and the fall of Saigon in 1975.
Thai authorities are consequently trying to balance hospitality with tighter controls.
Officials have identified several places and activities that American military personnel will be prohibited from visiting. Among them is Soi 6, an area close to the main beach that is particularly associated with go-go bars and the city's sex industry.
Although prostitution is technically illegal in Thailand, Pattaya is widely known for its large commercial sex sector. Estimates suggest that tens of thousands of sex workers operate in the city, with many concentrated around entertainment districts such as Soi 6.
American personnel have also been warned away from cannabis shops and certain potentially hazardous recreational activities, including paragliding and jet-skiing.
"It is their decision," Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches told the BBC. "The US military have done their homework."
The authorities have deployed hundreds of police officers around entertainment areas and have warned businesses against overcharging American visitors.
The US Navy, meanwhile, has arranged shuttle buses connecting the port with Pattaya. The service will operate from 5am until 2am throughout the carrier's stay, allowing sailors to move between the ship and the city.
Two hotels have also been designated for crew members seeking to spend a night ashore.
Protecting Pattaya's new image
For city officials, the visit offers an opportunity to promote a Pattaya that is considerably broader than its old reputation.
"The visits of US military men 50-60 years ago introduced Pattaya to the world and turned it into a tourist attraction," says Mayor Poramase.
But he acknowledges the uncomfortable legacy that accompanies that history.
"We have to be frank, the city has a reputation for bar girls. We understand the stereotypes. We can't stop that.
"What we can do is to show that Pattaya has changed, that we now have other things, such as sports, seminars, wellness and family-friendly activities. It's a mixture of everything."
That message is particularly important as Pattaya attempts to reposition itself as a destination for a wider range of international travellers.
The city's dependence on nightlife has long been both an economic asset and a source of criticism. Authorities now want visitors to see Pattaya as a resort capable of attracting families, business travellers and wellness tourists alongside those seeking its famous nightlife.
The arrival of the Lincoln presents both an opportunity and a challenge.
For local businesses, the sailors' spending could provide a welcome boost after months of difficult trading. For officials, the goal is to capture that economic benefit while ensuring that the visit does not produce the kind of headlines that have long accompanied Pattaya's nightlife industry.
And for the sailors themselves, the port call is perhaps simpler: after 250 days at sea, Thailand offers a chance to sleep ashore, eat in restaurants, see something other than the inside of a warship and briefly return to ordinary life.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is scheduled to begin its long journey back across the Pacific on September 6.
By then, both Thailand and the United States will hope the sailors have returned to the carrier rested, refreshed and ready for the voyage home.