Add The California Post on Google A Thai resort city is cracking down on prostitution ahead of the arrival of a San Diego-based US Navy aircraft carrier carrying about 5,000 sailors and Marines after more than 200 consecutive days at sea.
The USS Abraham Lincoln is due to dock Wednesday near Pattaya — one of Thailand’s best-known nightlife destinations — along with two accompanying Navy vessels.
Police have stepped up patrols around the city’s beachfront and nightlife areas ahead of the visit. Raids over the weekend detained roughly 40 to 50 people on suspicion of prostitution, according to The Independent.
“We are doing our best, but it is difficult,” Pattaya police chief Anek Srathongyoo said Monday, noting that sex workers could solicit people in public without authorities knowing.
Prostitution is illegal in Thailand, although the sex trade remains highly visible in tourist destinations including Pattaya and parts of Bangkok.
The heightened enforcement comes as local businesses prepare for a much-needed influx of spending from thousands of American service members on shore leave.
The Lincoln departed its home port of San Diego in November before being redirected to the Middle East to support military operations in the US-Israeli war with Iran.
The unusually long stretch has also been accompanied by reports of worsening morale and mental health concerns aboard the carrier, including reports of suicide attempts published this month by two military-focused outlets.
Once the vessels arrive at Laem Chabang, personnel can leave the ships for rest and recuperation. Shore leave is expected to be staggered so the thousands aboard will not descend on Pattaya at once, the outlet reported.
Pattaya Mayor Poramase Ngampiches estimated each service member could spend between 1,000 and 3,000 baht, or roughly $30 to $91, per day depending on how long they stay ashore and whether they stay overnight.
“It should help stimulate Pattaya’s economy in the short term,” Poramase said.
The prospect of thousands of sailors and Marines arriving has especially raised hopes among Pattaya’s struggling nightlife businesses.
“When we heard the news that a US Navy warship would be docking in Pattaya, it became a source of hope for us,” Pattaya Nightlife Business Association president Lisa Hamilton said.
“I have lived in Pattaya for more than 20 years, and I have never seen any year as slow as this one.”
Pattaya’s relationship with American military personnel stretches back decades. Once a fishing village, the city became a major tourist destination, in part because US servicemen visited for recreation during the Vietnam War.
Its sex industry has also attracted international scrutiny, with the FBI describing Pattaya a decade ago as “one of the world’s leading sex tourism destinations.”
Bangkok University associate professor Pipatpong Fakfare warned that a sudden influx of customers could bring risks alongside the anticipated economic benefit.
“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,” he said.
Thanet Supornsahasrungsi, president of the Association of Chonburi Tourism Federation, said the ultimate impact on Pattaya will depend on how many personnel stay in the resort city rather than travel to Bangkok.
