Pattaya mayor Poramet Ngampichet says the five-day leisure visit by sailors from the USS Abraham Lincoln group has helped reshape the resort city's image beyond its better-known nightlife trade.
About 5,000 US Navy visitors arrived in Pattaya, Chon Buri, last Wednesday and left on Sunday. Mr Poramet said the visit was believed to have generated around 100 million baht for the local economy, although he added that the full financial impact had not yet been established.
The mayor said spending was spread across restaurants, beverage outlets, shopping malls, tourist attractions and retail shops, rather than being focused on nightlife venues.
Spending across Pattaya
Based on discussions with local business operators and US embassy officials, Mr Poramet said sailors spent at least US$100 to US$150 each during their stay.
Visitors from the carrier group went to attractions including the Sanctuary of Truth Museum, Nong Nooch Tropical Botanical Garden and the Four Regions Floating Market. They also rode elephants, shopped and bought souvenirs for their families, according to the mayor.
Pattaya retains a nightlife scene, Mr Poramet said, but it is now concentrated in particular areas. He said the city offered a broader mix of shopping, dining, cultural sites and activities aimed at different types of visitor.
A different image of naval visitors
Mr Poramet said Thai and international media coverage gave Pattaya a "new city image", showing US personnel visiting cultural locations and wearing traditional Thai costumes, rather than only attending entertainment venues.
He said this provided broad publicity for the city at virtually no cost to Pattaya authorities. The visit was also said to reflect changing travel habits among US military personnel compared with the era when American forces were based at air and naval facilities around Thailand during the Vietnam War.
Capt Dan Keeler, commander of the USS Abraham Lincoln, said roughly 20% of the carrier's approximately 4,800 personnel were women, with many members of the crew relatively young.
Mr Poramet said many sailors had researched destinations and planned their visits before arriving, suggesting a different style of tourism from earlier generations of US military visitors.
"Pattaya is for every day, for all ages, safe for everyone, and you can find everything you need in one place," he said. He described the image promoted by the carrier group's stay as "Pattaya Variety”.
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9 September 2026
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