Nearly 5,000 sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln went ashore in Pattaya, Thailand, after a record 250 days at sea, with many first heading to shopping malls before the resort city's nightlife district drew crowds after dark. The stopover offers rest after a gruelling deployment that included combat operations against Iran in the Middle East, a period one crew member's mother described as leaving morale low and feeling "scary" and "uncertain".

Sailors stayed at two beachside hotels, including the Hard Rock, and were seen on Walking Street, Pattaya's main nightlife strip, which was decorated with a welcome sign for the crew. Local sex-industry venues on Soi 6 were declared off-limits, disappointing operators hoping for a boost from the sailors' unspent wages, while the city's tourism has also suffered from Middle East conflict deterring visitors. A US Naval Attaché said the aim was to give sailors rest while ensuring they follow US and Thai law, and the port call also serves as a stop on the carrier's route home to California.