Thai resort cracks down on sex workers before arrival of US sailors

[t0oL1]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/thai-resort-cracks-down-sex-114159591.html

 

Thai police have launched raids on sex workers in a resort city before the arrival of 5,000 American sailors who have spent nine months at sea.

After a gruelling deployment that has been repeatedly extended, the USS Abraham Lincoln is set to dock late on Tuesday in Pattaya, a coastal city that has hosted US troops seeking rest and recreation since the Vietnam War.

Before their arrival, however, Pattaya's police force has clamped down on the sex industry, with at least 40 people arrested in nightlife raids over the weekend.

Anek Srathongyoo, the city's police chief, said law enforcement agencies have been ordered to step up security measures to prevent undesirable situations. 

 

But there are also fears the arrival could lead to an outbreak of sexually transmitted diseases.

While prostitution is illegal in Thailand, it is openly visible in tourist hubs, and Pattaya's red-light district is perhaps the country's most infamous.

Anek Srathongyoo, Pattaya's police chief, told Reuters that the crackdown was challenging because sex workers can solicit in public areas without the knowledge of officials. "We are doing our best, but it is difficult," he said.

Police will step up security measures during the troops' five-day stay, including additional patrols around the city's main beachfront and nightclubs, he added.

Prolonged deployment

Pipatpong Fakfare, an associate professor at Bangkok University's school of humanities and tourism management, added: "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."

Others have welcomed the imminent arrival of US servicemen as a boon to Pattaya's economy. It is the low season, but tourism has been hit hard because of the war in Iran, which disrupted both flight routes and prices.

The USS Abraham Lincoln's deployment has been repeatedly extended partly because of the Iran War. Having left San Diego in November headed for the Indo-Pacific region, it was redirected to the Middle East in January, just before conflict broke out.

 

As the deployment was continually prolonged, concerns grew about conditions on board, with crew members and their families describing gruelling schedules, cramped quarters and mounting poor morale.

Last month, one sailor jumped overboard in an alleged suicide attempt, while there have been reports of food and critical supply shortages.

The USS Abraham Lincoln has been at sea for more than 270 days - Jason White/AFP

Poramase Ngampiches, Pattaya's mayor, said in a Facebook post that the city would welcome the troops and urged people to treat them well.

"They come to relax because it's been almost 280 days since anyone came ashore," he said. "Our preparations will focus on safety and ensuring fair pricing, so we don't take advantage of them."

 

 

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Mr Poramase said he hoped the soldiers could bring the city, which is roughly 90 miles from Bangkok, some 100m Thai baht (£2.2m) during their five-day stay.

 

 

[KeepItReal]

Not sure who is more deserving of my sympathy:  the sailors...or the sex workers that have to face the crowds of customers! 🫣

[t0oL1]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/world/articles/thailand-reveals-rules-uss-abraham-101616835.html

Thailand reveals rules for USS Abraham Lincoln sailors' visit

Thai authorities have set out rules for American sailors and Marines coming ashore from the USS Abraham Lincoln during an expected stop in the coastal destination of Pattaya, warning that those who break local laws may face prosecution.

Approximately 5,000 U.S. service members are travelling with the aircraft carrier, which is set to make a port call near the eastern Thai city, known for its nightlife, following more than 200 consecutive days at sea on deployment during the U.S. war with Iran.

Pattaya city officials met with U.S. Navy representatives on Monday to discuss arrangements for the carrier's arrival, including behavioral guidelines for its crew, local media reported.

Pattaya's mayor, Poramet Ngampichet, said the city was looking forward to the U.S. crew's visit, and hoped their port call would boost the local tourism economy. The city wanted to be "seen as an important vacation spot," Poramet said. "We welcome more visits of the troops in the future, whether for a drill or a vacation, before they go back to the U.S."

Newsweek contacted the U.S. Navy and the Pattaya mayor's office via email on Tuesday.

Rules for USS Abraham Lincoln Sailors in Thailand

Mayor Poramet said the service members will be barred from certain recreational activities such as parasailing and marijuana use, the Associated Press reported. Cannabis dispensaries have become common in Thailand since the country legalized medical cannabis in 2022.

U.S. service members are also barred from cannabis shops, pharmacies, and from taking part in "water-based activities," local newspaper The Pattaya News reported.

U.S. Navy personnel will also be blocked from certain streets in the city, including Pattaya's red-light district, the paper said.

 

The famed nightlife area Walking Street in the south of the city is open to sailors, but they must leave by 2 a.m. and authorities say there will be a larger-than-normal police presence, it added.

US Sailors Must Obey Thailand's Laws

City Police Chief Anek Srathongyoo said U.S. service members who break Thai law will be prosecuted accordingly, the Associated Press reported.

Unlike in the U.S., vapes and e-cigarettes are illegal in Thailand. Foreigners and Thai nationals found carrying them can face jail time or fines worth several times the value of the devices. Those caught possessing a vape can face up to five years in prison

Thailand has legalized medical cannabis but a licensed Thai medical professional must issue a prescription for the drug. Recreational cannabis use or purchasing the drug without such documentation is prohibited, as is consuming it in public.

Those breaking Thai law on cannabis possession and use could face up to a year in jail and a fine of roughly $600.

 

Pattaya has a reputation for often-visible sex tourism, despite prostitution being illegal in Thailand; however, advocacy groups and officials acknowledge it's not always fully policed and sometimes difficult to detect.

"The influx of a large number of customers may increase the likelihood of sexual exploitation and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases," Pipatpong Fakfare, an associate professor at Bangkok University's School of Humanities and Tourism Management, told Reuters.

Thailand has strict laws against insulting the country's monarchy. Under lèse-majesté law, it is a criminal offense to insult, threaten or defame certain senior members of the royal family.

When Is USS Abraham Lincoln Arriving in Thailand?

Thai authorities said the carrier strike group are expected to dock in Thailand between September 2 and 6.

The vast carrier was spotted sailing past Singapore on Monday, en route back home to the U.S. via Thailand.

While the Lincoln will pull into port in the Chonburi province, the USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. destroyer will dock elsewhere, Ngampichet said in remarks reported by the Associated Press.

The Lincoln left its home base in the U.S. in November 2025, originally headed for the South China Sea. It arrived in the Middle East in January ahead of the start of U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran at the end of February.

 

As the crew passed more than 200 days aboard the carrier without seeing land, concerns for the service personnel aboard the Lincoln grew. Family members and U.S. lawmakers

Multiple sailors attempted to jump overboard, according to specialist military outlets. The Navy has said it is not aware of an increase in "suicidal ideation" but that the service takes "every service member's well-being seriously."

Concerns for the welfare of crew members on the Lincoln prompted calls for investigations into living conditions on the carrier from U.S. lawmakers, despite Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth saying the experiences of the thousands of sailors on board were "completely misrepresented."

 

[a-447]

7 hours ago, KeepItReal said:

Not sure who is more deserving of my sympathy:  the sailors...or the sex workers that have to face the crowds of customers! 🫣

A number of years ago a US carrier docked in Fremabtle, which is Perth's port.

The local brothel madam was forced to give the girls nights off, as their pussies were getting worn out.

Of particular concern, she said, was the large number of horse-hung black sailors - the women were apparently concerned about being physically harmed,m and many complained of soreness after the encounter.

I would be more concerned about all the sexualities transmitted diseases.