Two sailors from the US aircraft carrier making a port call to Thailand were sent back to the ship after a drunken altercation, Thai police said.
Police were alerted to a “small scuffle” involving the sailors in the early hours of Thursday near Pattaya’s nightlife hotspot Walking Street, city police chief Anek Srathongyoo said.
“The sailors were drunk and they were fighting, making loud noise,” he said yesterday.
He described the incident as “trivial” and said local residents had only called police to prevent it from escalating.
The unidentified sailors were not charged as “they did not violate any Thai law”, Anek said.
The US Navy sent the pair back to the ship, he added.
The USS Abraham Lincoln’s arrival has drawn interest after reports of deteriorating living conditions on board after more than 280 days at sea.
It has also put the spotlight on Pattaya, a resort popular with tourists with a reputation for its nightlife, including sex tourism.
Authorities cracked down on sex workers ahead of the ship’s visit, although they denied it was linked to the arrival.
Nattakamol Chartmontri, who has worked in Pattaya for several years, said many of the sailors appeared “young, well-behaved and rule-abiding”.
Pattaya businesses had been hoping for a windfall from the visit, which comes during low season, but Nattakamol, 48, said it had so far stayed quiet.
US lawmakers have called for an investigation into conditions on the Lincoln following reports of food shortages, broken plumbing and mental health crises.
President Donald Trump dismissed the concerns, which have fuelled criticism of his dragging conflict with Iran, although the Lincoln was replaced in the Middle East by the USS George Washington. — AFP
