Two US sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln were involved in a drunken scuffle near Walking Street in Pattaya in the early hours of September 3, 2026. Pattaya City Police Chief Colonel Anek Srathongyoo said, “The sailors were drunk and they were fighting, making loud noise.” The incident was described as trivial and the sailors were not charged because they did not violate any Thai law, with police acting to prevent escalation but finding no legal breach [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
Following the incident, the US Navy sent the two sailors back to the USS Abraham Lincoln, which had docked at Laem Chabang port near Pattaya on September 2 after more than 280 days at sea [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6]. The arrival of the carrier attracted global media attention amid reports of deteriorating conditions onboard, including food shortages, broken plumbing, and mental health concerns [1, 4, 6]. Its mission in the Middle East has been taken over by the USS George Washington [1, 4, 6].
Pattaya, known for its nightlife and sex tourism, experienced crackdowns on sex workers ahead of the ship’s visit, but authorities denied any connection between the enforcement and the sailors’ arrival [1, 4, 5, 6]. Local masseuse Nattakamol Chartmontri said many sailors appeared young, well-behaved, and rule-abiding. She noted that hype on social media over the sailors did not translate into a significant boost for Pattaya businesses so far, with the visit quieter than previous military port calls [1, 4, 5].
There have been no other notable incidents in Pattaya since the USS Abraham Lincoln docked [1, 4, 5]. US Democratic lawmakers previously called for an investigation into conditions aboard the carrier amid reported shortages and crises, but President Donald Trump dismissed such concerns [1, 4].
Thai police confirmed on September 4 that the sailors were sent back to the ship without charges, concluding the local handling of the incident [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6].
