Weekend raids had already resulted in around 40 to 50 people being detained on suspicion of prostitution.
Pattaya will see an unusual rush of visitors this week as 5,000 US sailors and Marines arrive aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln after spending more than 200 days at sea.
However, the police in the Thai resort city are preparing for a possible surge in prostitution as a consequence of the visit.
The aircraft carrier is due to dock on Wednesday at nearby Laem Chabang, accompanied by two other US Navy vessels, according to Reuters. The crew will be given time ashore to rest and recuperate following one of the longest deployments by a US carrier in recent history.
Ahead of their arrival, Pattaya police have increased patrols around the city’s beachfront and major nightlife areas. Weekend raids had already resulted in around 40 to 50 people being detained on suspicion of prostitution.
Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo said that keeping the sex trade under control would be difficult.
“We are doing our best, but it is difficult”, he said.
He said sex workers could approach potential customers in public places without authorities necessarily being aware of it.
City Expects A Short-Term Economic Boost
Pattaya has long relied on tourism and entertainment, and local officials expect the sailors’ shore leave to drive money into hotels, restaurants, bars, shops and other businesses.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated that each US military personnel could spend between 1,000 and 3,000 baht, which is roughly $30 to $91 a day, depending on how long they remain ashore and whether they stay overnight.
“It should help stimulate Pattaya’s economy in the short term,” Poramase said.
The economic impact will likely be spread over several days because shore leave is generally staggered rather than allowing the entire crew to leave the vessels simultaneously.
Pattaya’s Long Relationship With US Troops
Once a fishing village, Pattaya began transforming into a major tourism destination after US servicemen stationed in Thailand during the Vietnam War began travelling there for rest and recreation.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, but the sex industry remains highly visible in several major tourist destinations, including Pattaya and parts of Bangkok.
The FBI described Pattaya a decade ago as “one of the world’s leading sex tourism destinations.”
USS Lincoln’s Unusually Long Deployment
The Pattaya visit comes after an extraordinary period at sea for the USS Abraham Lincoln.
The carrier left its home port in San Diego in November before being redirected to the Middle East amid US military operations during the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The deployment eventually stretched beyond 200 consecutive days at sea, a modern-era record according to Democratic lawmakers.
But the unusually long mission has also raised concerns about conditions aboard the carrier. Two military-focused outlets reported this month on suicide attempts and declining morale among personnel, highlighting the strain of such a prolonged deployment.
